Dumbledore's Wish
by Ravensnake
Summary: Set after HBP. Dumbledore's last wish was for the Golden Trio to return to Hogwarts for their last year. Hermione is made Head Girl, and as such, must display role model behavior, even if it's cooperating with a sworn enemy. T for safety. HG/DM : R&R plz
1. Chance Encounter

_This is my first attempt at an actual Dramione...we'll see how it goes. Please R&R!! :)_

_I don't own anything, sadly, *sniff*...it all belongs to the brilliant JKR..._

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Chapter One: Chance Encounter

The stars were bright above, streetlights shining on every corner as Hermione Granger walked back to her hotel room. At the beginning of the summer, some of her muggle friends had decided to have their own vacation-sans adults. Of course, they invited Hermione along, as they had much catching up to do. They were under the impression that Hermione went to a special academy for gifted students. Eagerly, Hermione had accepted the invitation, ecstatic when her parents had immediately said yes. They were proud of her daughter for being a witch, but they also thought it would be a good idea for her to spend some more time around muggles.

It was now the last day of the last week of their vacation in Paris. Hermione and her friends had spent most of it at the tourist attractions during the day, and clubbing at night. On this particular night, however, Hermione didn't feel like being around inebriated teenagers, muggle or not. She opted to leave the club early, letting her friends know she would be back at the hotel if they needed her. Chances were, they wouldn't be back for another two or more hours. So Hermione walked on, exhausted but satisfied at how her vacation went. She still had another week before having to board the Hogwarts Express back to school. She should be getting her letter sometime soon, she thought. Of course, Hermione hoped to be getting the spot of Head Girl.

With a sigh, she kept going, wondering what the school would be like now that Dumbledore was dead. Professor McGonagall had taken his place and was Headmistress now. Nothing would be the same without him, and as much as she loved school, Hogwarts in particular, she almost would rather not go back. Unfortunately, she, Ron, _and _Harry had been explicitly forbidden from leaving school. Dumbledore had left a letter for them with McGonagall, with very specific instructions. They were to continue at Hogwarts, and the other Order members were to hunt down the rest of the Horcruxes. Harry needed to be kept safe until the final battle, and they couldn't afford to put him in danger and risk his death before facing Voldemort. Out of respect for Dumbledore's last wish, they did as they were told, as much as Harry abhorred it.

She was torn from her thoughts by the sounds of a rowdy group of men down the street from where she was waiting for the traffic light to change. They were sauntering over in her general direction, and her stomach did a small, terrified flip.

_Damn, I probably shouldn't have left the club alone...Please pass me by, please pass me by..._ As she said her silent prayers the light turned green for her, and she nearly bolted across the street, slowing down to a fast walk once on the other side. Relieved, she kept walking, unaware that she had gained the attention of the group, and they were now walking towards her, following her path. It wasn't until she had walked two more blocks that she noticed them again. _Oh God, they're following me?_ In an attempt to lose them, she began taking turns and going through shortcuts. As a child, she and her parents had vacationed in Paris frequently, and she knew this neighborhood particularly well. At least, she thought she did. Clearly, that had a native advantage.

In a matter of minutes, they'd managed to herd her into and abandoned street. She knew where she was, and how to get to the hotel from there, but she couldn't help the feeling of dread coming over her. The rowdy group now had her surrounded. They spoke in slurred, drunken French. She had trouble understanding the language enough as it was, she hadn't visited France in a few years and as a result her French was a bit rusty. She had the itching need to pull her wand out, but the goody-goody side of her could only think of the consequences of using magic in front of muggles, even inebriated ones. The last thing she wanted was to get herself in trouble and risk her possibilities at being Head Girl. _You really need to straighten your priorities..._ The memory from her first year came back unexpectedly, and she nearly had the urge to laugh. _Is this what they mean? Life flashing before your eyes and all that rubbish?_

One of the men made a grab for her, but she ducked out of the way, as if dodging a spell, trying to free herself from the circle she was trapped in.

"Leave me alone!"

"Ooh...British woman....very nice." For some reason, all she could think was how _un_romantic his heavy French accent sounded. She nearly threw up in disgust at the man and his cronies. Dodging a few more hands she managed to break free from the little circle and broke into an all out sprint to the main street, where she could easily make it to the hotel from. Unfortunately for her, grace and speed have never been her strong points. Clumsily tripping and falling face-first, she was a sitting duck. She nearly reached for her wand, but someone had beaten her to it. The ringleader of the group was swung off to the side, very unceremoniously, and landed with a grunt and a dull thud. This was enough for the other three to stop advancing on her. Looking around, they tried to decipher the source of their leader's demise. The looks on their faces reminded Hermione of Crabbe and Goyle whenever they lost track of Malfoy.

Suddenly, a cloaked figure appeared to Hermione's right. Hand outstretched, he was holding a wand. _Nonverbal magic...who _is _this guy? _The other three men suffered similar fates, all of them going unconscious, either from shock or a hit to the head. The cloaked figure immediately moved over to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm, making her stand.

"Be more careful not to get yourself killed. Potter and Weasley would hate to lose their little bookworm." In shock she looked up to see who her savior was. He wore a hooded cloak, but she could still see his face under it, shadowed over.

"_M-Malfoy?_" Alarms went of in her head, screaming _Traitor! Traitor!_ She was frozen to the spot though, unable to react with nothing more than his name. He didn't respond to her, but she was unsure of whether it was because he didn't want to bother acknowledging the fact that he had just saved her, or because he was being beckoned by a second figure.

"Mr. Malfoy, we do not have time to be gallivanting around as heroes." He dropped her arm roughly, but she said nothing, another wave of shock washing over her as her mind registered who the second voice belonged to. It was the distinct drone of her least favorite professor, or _ex-_professor. Before she could say anything, they were both gone, their exit signaled only by the distinct _pop_ of Apparition. Hermione wanted to kick herself for her slow reaction. Here, she had had the chance to catch two of the most wanted wizards, and she wasn't able to do more than utter a single word. The rest of the way back to the hotel, five blocks, the same word replayed in her head, over and over.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid... _By the time she'd reached the hotel, she'd lost count of the amount of times she'd thought the word. She practically stormed into the building, leaving a deadly feeling of anger and frustration in her wake. Not only had she failed to even react properly to the appearance of Snape and Malfoy, but she had also let them see her as a cowering damsel in distress. Needless to say, she was pissed, more so at herself than anything else. And so she stormed on, up the steps, too angry to sit still inside the elevator. Even though she had to climb five stories, her anger didn't sway for a second, nor did she show any sign of being tired.

Slamming the door to the suite she shared with her friends, she bee-lined it for her room. The suite was quite extravagant and elegant. It reminded her of Malfoy, and with that thought she berated herself again, and a whole new wave of anger washed through her. Walking into the room she shared with her neighbor, Ashley, she grabbed a pen and sheet of paper, determined to get word of their appearance to Harry and Ron, who were sure to be with the Order or at The Burrow. Using her copy of _Hogwarts: A History _as a desk, she bent over it to write.

_Harry and Ron,_

_Please forgive my lack of courtesy, but this is more important than just a 'hello' letter._

_Snape and Malfoy were here in Paris. I know this because I saw them myself. I won't go into the details of our encounter, but just trust me on this. They were here! I saw them while I was walking back to my hotel tonight._

_See you soon,_

_Hermione_

Satisfied with herself, if only feeling slightly better than before, she folded the paper and prepared to send it. Then she felt like an idiot. She had no way of sending it because she didn't have an owl with her. Angry, and sighing in resignation, she decided to wait until the next day, when she was home, to send it. So she took another paper, rewrote the letter to make sense when she sent it, and mentally kicked herself for having overlooked that slight problem. Her friends would have thought it odd if she'd brought her family owl, Minnie, with her on the vacation. She folded the letters and placed them in her book, slamming it down with more force than she'd intended to onto her nightstand.

_Stupid Malfoy, and Prof-Snape...! _She still had trouble not thinking of Snape as a professor. Despite her dislike for the man, she had hoped that his being a professor would have somehow made him at least slightly good. Hermione still found it so difficult to comprehend _why _Snape would kill Dumbledore. Malfoy, on the other hand, she had no qualms about insulting. She channeled all her anger and embarrassment at the night's events into throwing her clothing into her suitcase, leaving only her outfit for the plane ride home and going to bed in a large t-shirt. A sinking feeling started developing inside her, and she became nervous. She hadn't been this nervous since she first found out about her acceptance to Hogwarts. Now she was afraid of what Harry and Ron would think of her for being so fragile. Harry wouldn't react badly, but Ron...he was sure to say something rash, courtesy of his teaspoon sized emotional capacity. Unfortunately, or maybe not, she didn't have to face them directly until they met up on the Hogwarts Express, and by then any of her embarrassment will have died down, along with any reaction on Ron's part.

_Ugh...this is week is going to fly by...why did I have to come to Paris in the first place?_

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_Much appreciated, please review!! That's what keeps me going! *points at review button* please? lol_

_-Ravensnake_


	2. The Usual

_Well, I got this up sooner than I meant to...hehe :]...I just sat down to write and was like, 'damn, I can't pull myself away!' So, if things continue as they are, expect Chapter 3 up by Monday! Woot!_

**_Special Thanks to..._**

_voldyismyfather :) _

_&_

_pigsrulealot :)_

**_for being my first two reviewers on this story...:)_**

_I don't own anything, yadda yadda.... like you don't already know that.....haha..._

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Chapter Two: The Usual

The next morning, Hermione awoke to the sound of her snoring roommate. She immediately looked at her clock, noting that it was already one in the afternoon. _Thank God we decided on an afternoon flight. _The idea had been hers, naturally, as she had expected her friends to get drunk beyond all recognition on the last night of their vacation. Her prediction had been accurate, and now they all lay in their beds, hungover and with the worst headaches any of them could have imagined. Quietly, so as not to wake them, she finished packing what little she left out the night before, trying to block all thoughts of what had happened on her way back to the hotel. It was all she could do to keep from exploding in frustration. She knew what her magic could do if she didn't know how to control herself. The last thing she needed on her plate was one of her poor friends getting caught in the midst of her rage.

It wasn't long before everyone else woke up. Hermione was waiting downstairs in the restaurant of the hotel, halfway through her breakfast, when two of her friends showed up. It was Ashley, followed by her boyfriend, Neil. She smiled her greeting towards them, as they mumbled sleepily back at her. Everyone upstairs was already done packing and ready to leave. Their flight was at 3:30 PM and they had just enough time to make it to the airport. Hermione had thought ahead and brought her luggage with her. Finishing her breakfast quickly, she grabbed her luggage and carry on bag and went to join the others in the lobby. Everyone else had at least two bags of luggage that corresponded to them. They'd all forgotten how little Hermione had brought along.

"I swear Hermione, I'll never know how you managed to fit all your stuff in just one suitcase!" Hermione laughed.

"You know me, Ash, I'm low maintenance." _Not to mention I know a useful shrinking spell_, she thought to herself. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, except for the nagging in the back of Hermione's mind. She couldn't get what happened the night before out of her head. More than the anger at herself, what was really bothering her was trying to figure out why Snape and Malfoy hadn't just killed her on the spot. After all, she's a member of the Order, and the both of them were wanted criminals. Had she been them she probably would not have hesitated to act on her own behalf. Instead, they had _helped _her. Hell, they could have left her there to be raped, murdered, and God knows what else! And that fact bothered her, more than anything. She wasn't even able to catnap on the ride home.

Her parents greeted her at the airport, along with the parents of her friends. They all parted ways, promising they should get together again the next summer, and Hermione smiled, knowing full well she might not live to see the next summer now that Dumbledore was no longer around to protect them. After a few short good-byes, her parents greeted her properly.

"How was Paris?" her mom asked in a kindly, curious tone that had concern written all over it.

"Fun," she shrugged, "Uneventful really, I forgot how nice it was to have some form of normalcy in the summertime." _As long as it isn't ruined by the appearance of wanted wizards. _She wanted to keep that information from her parents, though. They didn't need to find out about her little escapade from the club to the hotel. Telling them about Snape and Malfoy would only give rise to more questions.

"I'm glad to hear that. Oh, your letter from Hogwarts came this morning. I guess they knew you were getting home today." He handed her the letter, smiling. By the look on his face it would seem there was good news inside. Quickly, she unfolded it, practically devouring it with her eyes.

_Dear Ms. Granger,_

_First and foremost, let me congratulate you on your appointment as Head Girl. I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you or your family. As per Professor Dumbledore's request, the identity of Head Boy will remain a secret to you until you board the Hogwarts Express, and vice versa. Do not ask me why, as this is how he has always gone about this business. No use in changing it now, is there? Below you will find a list of the books you will need for the upcoming year and your schedule. Your Head Girl badge is also enclosed with the letter. We all know these are trying times, and as a member of the Order, I expect you to act accordingly. As Head Girl you must be a role model to other students, especially in times such as these. I also expect you to keep Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter in check. The three of you know perfectly well what Professor Dumbledore's last wish was, and I expect you to make sure they abide by it._

_Yours Truly,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_

The letter went on as a list of all the books and materials she would be needing, along with a copy of her schedule. After looking it over, she was satisfied with the classes she'd been given, relief never failing to wash over her as she remember her hellish third year. By the time she'd finished, her parents had already parked the car in their driveway, and were walking into the house. She soon remembered the letter to Harry and Ron she kept in her pocket, and without explanation, she stormed into the house and immediately sent Minnie off with the note.

The next morning, Hedwig was tapping on her window. With a nervous smile on her face, she opened it, letting the Snowy Owl inside. After feeding her a treat, Hedwig stuck out her claw for Hermione to retrieve the letter.

_Hermione, _

_Needless to say, Ron is furious. I'm actually struggling to keep this away from him as I write. I don't know what to tell you but to be careful. Unfortunately, the both of us are being kept practically under lock and key by Moody and Mrs. Weasley. They won't let us out of their sight for fear that we'll run away and hunt for Horcruxes. Honestly, I don't blame them. Anyway, Tonks and Lupin are going to Diagon Alley this Wednesday to do our shopping for school. If you'd like, they offered to bring you so we could board the Hogwarts Express together. Let me know._

_Sincerely, _

_Harry_

_p.s. Ron says 'hi' and you have no idea how much I had to beg and plead for them to let me send a letter back!_

She quickly reread the letter, smiling a little at the mention of Ron. Her crush on him had died down from what it had once been. She felt terrible about it, but after the emotional roller coaster he put her through the year before, she realized he wasn't all that worth it. As much as she hated to admit it, he was too much like a little brother to her, despite how protective he was over her. She could no longer imagine what it would be like if she had taken Lavender's place. That's all she'd think about the year before, but now that it was all said and done, she no longer could. Dumbledore's death had made her grow up a lot, and she'd matured, more than usual, over the summer. The realization that she no longer liked Ron that way came to her during one of the many tour days of Paris. She was appreciating a painting in the Louvre, and for some reason Ron had come to mind. She realized then how boring he would have thought the museum to be, and just how vastly different their interests are. It was a strange way to have an epiphany, but she felt liberated afterwards. She just hoped Ron had outgrown his crush as well.

The rest of the week went on as it usually would in the Granger household. Her parents were on vacation, so she spent the next four days with them, until Wednesday. They had decided it was best for her to go with the Order, as she'd be much safer with them and at home. Hermione shopped for her books with her parents, as she had in her first year, and then met up with Tonks and Lupin in front of Gringotts. After saying good-bye to her parents they Apparated to The Burrow, where Hermione was greeted by most of the Weasley clan. Bill and Charlie were both there, along with Ginny and Mr. Weasley. She had seen Fred and George at their shop and she assumed Ron was wherever Harry was, knowing Mrs. Weasley watched them like a hawk. They flooed, for the sake of secrecy, from the Weasley residence to 12 Grimmauld Place.

"We're back!" Tonk's voice resounded throughout the house, and Hermione could already hear Ron and Harry rushing from their room. At the sight of her they both engulfed her in a hug, smiling broadly.

"You've come to bust us out, haven't you, Hermione?" Shaking her head, Hermione laughed at the boys.

"No, I've actually come to keep the two of you in line. As Head Girl I'm on orders from McGonagall herself to make sure the two of you finish the year at Hogwarts." They smiled at the news of her as Head Girl, but groaned at the mention of actually going through a whole year at Hogwarts without a life-threatening adventure. Tonks and Lupin had walked out of the room by then, and the three friends settled into the couch by the fireplace. Ron was the first to ask.

"So tell me what happened exactly with Snape and Malfoy?" Hermione winced, knowing he'd be eager to hear the story. Unsure of how much to say, she simply restated what she'd said in her letter.

"I was walking back to my hotel from a club and I saw them. It was in passing, but I'm positive it was them. They noticed me and Apparated away." She didn't know why she only told them a half-truth. Was it her embarrassment at having done nothing? Or at having been saved by them? Either way, she didn't want them to know the full circumstances of her meeting with them. If Ron found out he'd pop a blood vessel, knowing how short his temper was, especially nowadays.

"That's odd. For them to just randomly appear out of nowhere and leave the same way? They must be up to something. Scouting for Voldemort, maybe?" Harry immediately went into his conspiracy mode, one Hermione and Ron knew all too well. She tried to tune their theories out, opting to rest instead of trying to figure out Malfoy's and Snape's motives. She'd spent the better part of the past four nights trying to figure it out. She deserved a break.

"Well, I'm going up to bed. I don't know about the two of you, but I'm exhausted. I'll see you two in the morning." She left the room.

"G'night 'Mione," they mumbled in unison. _The poor boys haven't been allowed out in weeks. It's understandable they'd take something like this and try to dissect it. _She thought back to how bored the two of them looked. She figured, if she'd lost two nights of sleep thinking about Snape and Malfoy, they would lose five.

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_Well, there's Chapter 2!!! Leave your thoughts, comments, and all that jazz by clicking the button below ;) *please?*_

_Reviews keep me going! I was unbelievably happy when I saw my first two for this story... 3 thanks again!!!_


	3. Surprise, Surprise

_Once again, sooner than anticipated. But hey, at least I won't be abandoning this story....*knock on wood* I've still got many many ideas and hopefully just as many chapters just waiting to be written. Holding ideas is like holding the need to go to the bathroom...it gets quite unhealthy, and just outright isn't good for you. So if you have ideas, write, and in my case, and any other writer, post them asap, to keep the story that was my little rant for the day ;)_

_Thank you for the wonderful reviews!_

_I don't own it....of course....unfortunately....*SOB*.....*sniffle*_

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Chapter Three: Surprise, Surprise

The next morning, Mrs. Weasley woke them up bright and early. She seemed more energetic than usual, and the reason for it came at breakfast. The twins and Ginny had joined them at Grimmauld place sometime during the night. Hermione was greeted by a happy, "Hey, Hermione!" From Ginny. Harry and Ron, on the other hand, were greeted by a prank that involved fake spiders crawling on Ron's legs, and Harry being awoken by the screams. Fred and George, of course, claimed to know nothing of it. It was tame, by their standards, but only for the purpose of not having their mother lose her temper.

During breakfast, Ginny could do nothing but go on about how excited she was to finally go back to Hogwarts. The summer, because of Dumbledore's death, had seemed eternal. She was still upset, and her eyes would still water at the thought of it. Harry was by her side immediately, and for the rest of their time at Grimmauld place, the two were inseparable. This left Hermione and Ron in very awkward situations. She tried to let it go, though, and it seemed Ron was making a similar effort. The twins made sure to keep any awkwardness to a minimum, as well.

"Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ginny had managed to keep away from Harry for a moment, and sat with Hermione in the parlor. Hermione had been sitting quietly, reading her new Ancient Runes book.

"Yeah, Gin? What's up?" Closing the book, Hermione looked up at the younger witch, whose face was lined with curiosity.

"So Harry told me you had a run-in with Malfoy and Snape?" Unlike everyone else, she didn't spit the names when she spoke them. She lacked her brother's vehement rage, opting for mourning over Dumbledore over being angry at his murderers.

"I suppose you could call it that."

"Oh." Ginny seemed disappointed at Hermione's answer. Had she been expecting more?

"The boys don't think I told them the whole truth, do they?" Ginny could only stare ahead. Hermione noticed her eyes darting to the entrance of the parlor, where she heard shuffling. They were under Harry's Invisibility Cloak. This didn't really annoy Hermione as much as it amused her. They were really that bored. "Sorry Gin, but that's really all there was to it. I saw them in passing."

"To tell you the truth Hermione, I was wondering about it too. Are you sure that's all that happened?" Ginny was good at keeping secrets, and the fact that she still played along even though she clearly let Hermione know they were listening in gave her some comfort. Maybe she would tell Ginny. The glint in her eyes let Hermione know that she had her own agenda, and wouldn't tell Harry or Ron anything she said. After all, Ginny had spent all this time keeping Hermione's crush from Ron. Hermione gave her a small, nearly imperceptible nod, something she knew Ron wouldn't notice, and she was blocked from their view anyway, so Harry wouldn't catch it either.

"I'm sure, Gin. I was walking back to the hotel, and I happened to notice them. Within seconds they Apparated away." Ginny simply gave an understanding nod. Listening carefully, Hermione noticed the small footsteps now moving away from the room. Once they were upstairs, Hermione whispered, "I'll tell you what happened tonight. The boys will have a fit if they found out. Okay?" Ginny nodded again, smiling at her friend. The rest of the day went on as usual. Their conversation was interrupted by Mad-Eye Moody walking in with Tonks to discuss something about one of the possible Horcruxes. Moody sometimes had the habit of randomly wandering about the house, something Hermione considered somewhat creepy her first day there, but grew used to it. He was there to keep Harry and Ron in, just as much as she was.

Hermione did, however, find it very strange that none of the other Order members had asked her about her encounter. She was positive they knew about it, because one of the many times Harry and Ron had tried to pry information from her, Tonks had been in the room with them, listening quietly. She definitely told Moody, and the man could see through anything, surely he knew she was lying? Whatever the reason, Hermione was glad for the lack of interest on their part. _They have more important things to worry about anyway, like Horcruxes and going straight for Voldemort. There's no use wasting time on the two of them._ Or at least that's what she kept trying to convince herself of. Something was definitely off with the Order, and Harry and Ron had failed to notice it.

That night, the night before going on the Hogwarts Express, Ginny and Hermione barely slept. Hermione had spent most of the night recounting her vacation to Paris, at least at first. It was just insurance to make sure the boys would lose interest. Around two in the morning, thanks to Mrs. Weasley's strict regimen of getting up early, they were exhausted, meaning the boys were surely asleep. Finally, Hermione could get to the point of the story.

"Well, what I said wasn't a lie. I left the club early our last night in Paris, and ended up walking back to the hotel alone. It was around one in the morning, and most of the streets were deserted, so I figured I'd be safe, and if there was danger, it'd probably be of the magical kind, so I would be free to use my wand."

"But...?"

"But halfway to the hotel some drunken men began to follow me. They eventually cornered me, and since they were muggles, I couldn't even think about taking my wand out. The last thing the Order needs is to bail me out of a hearing with the Wizengamot." Ginny seemed engulfed in the story. Her expression changed to one of confusion.

"What does that have to do with Snape and Malfoy...they weren't among the drunks, were they?" Ginny spoke the last few words in utter horror.

"No! No, not at all. It came to the point where I panicked and ran, but I tripped. I was about to finally pull my wand out as a last resort, but then one of the men were flung to the side. In that moment of confusion, I noticed two figures off to the side. The one that had cast the spell was beside me. He yanked me up. It was Malfoy." Ginny's hand immediately shot up to pause the story.

"Wait...you're saying _Malfoy _saved you?" Hermione could only nod. Ginny's jaw dropped.

"That was my reaction, exactly. I didn't even try to catch them or anything. I was in too much shock. It's embarrassing, really. That's partially why I didn't tell Harry and Ron about it. Not to mention that if they found out they'd try to hunt them down or something."

"You're right. Good thing you didn't tell them. Then what happened?"

"Well, Snape called Malfoy back and they both Apparated. And that's all that happened." There was a moment of silence before either of them made another sound.

"Wow... Are you going to tell anyone else?"

"McGonagall, of course. Tonks and the others all know about how I saw them. None of them have asked me about it yet though. I suppose they may just be waiting to have her do it instead."

"Yeah...and don't worry. My lips are sealed."

"Thanks, Ginny." After that the two of them fell into a comfortable silence. Hermione wasn't sure when she had finally fallen asleep, only that she felt an immense sense of dread the next morning. It wasn't so much dread as it was apprehension. Again, she began to think about what school would be like in the absence of Dumbledore. Everyone got up and ready that morning in silence, seemingly thinking about the same thing. Hogwarts would never be the same. Ever.

They were on Platform 9 ¾ by eleven. It was already crowded with the other students boarding the Hogwarts Express. They were surprised to see the turnout, as many people had been talking about not coming back. It seemed like very few were missing, though, the exception being the Slytherins. Most of the seventh year Slytherins were gone. Of the few that were left the only familiar faces were Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. They both looked surprised to see the Golden Trio, but somehow refrained from making any comments. Crabbe and Goyle, however, were noticeably absent. Harry and Ron had also somehow refrained from saying anything. Hermione simply nodded politely at both of them. They couldn't be all bad if they had come back. Neither of their family members were known Death Eaters, so perhaps Voldemort didn't have such a hold over them.

Once on the train, Hermione parted ways with Harry and Ron. They weren't all that pleased about having to ride a separate compartment. Ginny comforted them, meeting up with Luna and the four of them sharing a compartment. Hermione quietly made her way along the aisle. All she could think about was who the Head Boy might be. It definitely wouldn't be a Gryffindor, since Head Boy and Girl were from different houses. Slytherin wasn't likely, so that only left Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. She didn't mind sharing living quarters with anyone from the two houses, so she began to get excited. The only Ravenclaw student she really ever spoke to was Luna, so she was guaranteed to meet someone new if the Head Boy was Ravenclaw. As for Hufflepuff, she knew most of the seventh year students. Either way, she was glad it wouldn't be a Slytherin.

Once she reached the compartment, she took a deep breath and put on the best smile she could, McGonagall's words replaying in her head. _Role model behavior, role model behavior..._ She opened the door, hopes held high, but her greeting was stopped before she uttered a single syllable. All she could do was stare at the person sitting before her. For the second time that summer, she stammered his name.

"_M-Malfoy?_" Again the alarms went off in her head, but again she was frozen. He simply watched her, examining the look on her face.

"You know, Granger, it'd be wise of you to close the door. I'd rather not make an appearance until we get to the school." Hearing his voice like that, so cocky, only drove the shock deeper, and she merely took a step inside, not closing the door. Malfoy was acting as if the previous year hadn't happened, as if he was a Death Eater on the run. He got up, leaning over her to close the door. She still didn't move. Finally, when he sat back down, she nearly fell against the door.

"What the HELL are you doing here?" She didn't even want to think of how Harry and Ron would react to this.

"Language, Granger. You realize as Head Girl you should control your tongue." He smirked at her, only infuriating her further.

"Don't smirk at me, and answer the question!" With her last word she drew her wand, holding it at his throat. She wouldn't fail to react again. Hermione berated herself, _I can't keep letting shock get the better of me like that. _Still, she solicited no reaction from him. He merely stared at her calmly, arms crossed in front of him as he leaned back in his seat.

Draco looked at Granger. She didn't seem as helpless as she had the week before. He was almost frightened of her, if it wasn't for the fact that he had the upper hand, being clear-headed. He'd been nervous about who the Head Girl may be. Draco was sure it would be Granger, of course, but that didn't stop him from hoping it would be someone who _didn't _know of his involvement in Dumbledore's death. That information had been kept secret from all the students at Hogwarts, except of course to the Golden Trio. Potter had been present, after all. Why Dumbledore had specifically told McGonagall to make him Head Boy was beyond him. After everything that had happened, Dumbledore still somehow trusted him. He didn't deserve that kind of mercy, but he definitely wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"I'm a student, aren't I? Dumbledore made me Head Boy." At the sound of Dumbledore's name, Granger yelled.

"Don't even dare to say his name! Who do you think you are? I'm surprised you weren't arrested on the spot when you walked onto the platform!" She was fuming, and Draco somewhat enjoyed her anger.

"Listen, Granger, this is what Dumbledore wanted, clearly. Don't ask me why, but I'm here because he wanted me to be here. Do you think I attacked him willingly? Surely the Order knows I had no choice. Even _he _understood that..." Draco mumbled the last bit, still hurting due to what he'd caused. Voldemort had never expected him to succeed, and he really had had no other choice. "I'm not going to attack you, so I'd appreciate it if you put your wand away. If I wanted you dead, I would have left you to those men in Paris." At the mention of what happened over her vacation, Granger cringed. She seemed resigned, and Draco could see his logic working over her emotions behind the look in her eyes. After a few more moments she lowered her arm, and sat across from him.

"Don't think I won't go to McGonagall about this. This isn't over, not by a long shot, Malfoy." Draco didn't fail to notice how his name fell out of her mouth with disgust. He didn't expect anything less, however. He knew he was hated by the Golden Trio.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Granger." He also didn't fail to notice how her hand rested tense over her wand on her lap. She barely blinked. _Merlin, this is going to be one hell of an awkward ride to Hogwarts_. He cringed at the thought, and did his best to ignore the witch trying to kill him with her gaze.

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_Well there ya go, it's longer than the first one, but I didn't want to cut it any sooner than that. Your reading is greatly appreciated, but reviews would also be wonderful :)....so please leave comments, thoughts, things I should improve, and all that fun stuff in a review!!!! Thanks again!!! _

_I won't say when I'll have the next chapter up, since my past two estimates were off the mark....so just 'soon'....it'll be up **soon**. :) _


	4. Annoyance

_Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! I'm really happy with the feedback coming in for this story. Definitely the best reactions I've recieved for any story so far!!_

_Again, I'm moving pretty quickly, but I'm sure my speed will die down when I reach around Chapter 6 or 7, so just giving the heads up now, I won't always update this quickly :) Chapter 5, however, is already in the works..._

_I don't own anything, we all know that....JKR is the genius behind it all :)....._

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Chapter Four: Annoyance

Hermione wouldn't take her eyes off him for a second. The issue arose when they were less than fifteen minutes away from the station in Hogsmeade and neither one of them had changed into uniform yet. It hadn't struck her until now that Malfoy was actually wearing muggle clothes. But, of course, only of designer label. She felt like chuckling at the predictability of it. As she watched him, she took in how he could have been any normal teenager in the muggle world. _That's probably how he got away with moving around freely with Snape_. Thinking of Snape in muggle clothes was also 'chucklesome', but she couldn't let herself flinch. Any sudden movement could show weakness, and that was definitely not something Hermione Granger wanted to show in front of Draco Malfoy, at least not more than she already had in Paris. To her annoyance, it seemed Malfoy was just as steadfast in his resolve to remain unmoving.

Unlike her, however, he was just leaning back against his seat, a lot more relaxed than he should have been. He also lacked a wand that she could see. He looked the vision of serenity, arms crossed, sleeves of his button-up shirt folded back to reveal pale, but firm arms. For a second he shifted his weight, and his arms adjusted, showing more of his pale skin. A thought struck her. _Where's his Dark Mark? _She almost reacted. Her head almost jerked back. She did, however, let her eyes widen in surprise. Malfoy registered this with a smirk. _Is he _showing _me his lack of a Mark?_ Harry had told them he had it, though. Harry wouldn't lie about something like that. Not only that, but why would Voldemort give him a job like killing Dumbledore and _not _brand him? No. He had to have the mark somewhere. This had to be some kind of trick. Voldemort had probably branded him elsewhere, somewhere that wouldn't be easily exposed, like a leg or his back, maybe even on his chest.

With that realization, her face returned to the scowl she had worn for the entire train ride. Malfoy seemed to also realize what she may be thinking, and his face went blank again. After a moment, he broke the heavy silence first.

"I suggest we change into our uniforms, Granger. We're barely ten minutes from the station." She continued to scowl, but responded.

"And how do you expect me to do that, Malfoy? I'm not about to leave this compartment and leave you on your own." His smirk immediately went into place again.

"Well, Granger, by all means you're welcome to change in front of me. I won't look, I swear, but I doubt you believe that." The outrage on her face said as much. "And I don't think you want to be in here, _staring_ at me while I change. So, one of us has to leave. I, for one, don't want to, as I'm sure Potter and Weasley's reactions won't be anywhere near as kind as yours was." She mulled all this over. Of course she didn't want to be there when he changed, and there was no way in hell she would trust him not to look at her while she changed. With an angry, frustrated sigh, she stood. Somehow, she knew he wasn't going to leave the compartment until the train stopped. As long as she could change her clothes and be back before it stopped, she wouldn't lose track of him. Not to mention that she didn't want Harry or Ron to get wind of what was happening, not yet anyway. If they found out she wouldn't put it past them to blow the train up or something.

"Fine. But you better be here when I come back, or I'll hunt you down myself." The threat in her voice was clear. She would do more than hunt him down, she would make him suffer, since outside the Hogwarts Express and the school they were both outside McGonagall's jurisdiction. After how much frustration she'd been in since Paris, she wouldn't hesitate. Not for a second.

"Trust me, I won't be going anywhere." She scoffed at his words. _Trust you? Never in a million years, you horrid git. _With that final thought she, took her uniform from her luggage and stalked off in the direction of the bathrooms. She tried to be as quick as she could, and was back outside the compartment within two minutes. Malfoy, however, had not finished changing when she got back. After two knocks on the door his muffled response came, "Hold it Granger, not done yet!" So, she leaned back against the train wall across from the door. To her dismay, she heard her name being called from down the hall.

"Hermione! Hey, how's the train ride been?" It was Ginny and Harry. Mercifully, Ron wasn't there. _Probably stuffing his face with sweets. I swear, the boy is like a garbage disposal. Not that he would know _what _that is..._ She smiled at them, despite her nerves. If Harry found out about Malfoy...

"It's been ok. Uneventful. Yours?" _Don't ask who Head Boy is, don't ask, please don't ask..._ She shot a pleading look at Ginny, one that Harry completely missed as he started talking about the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean eating competition he'd gotten into with Ron. Ginny immediately knew something was wrong, and the look meant to distract Harry, or keep from asking questions. Once Harry was done recounting the story, Ginny jumped in before he could say any more.

Draco was changing inside when he heard footsteps approaching to where Granger stood. When he heard her name called, the pit of his stomach seemed to twist. Potter. He picked up the pace in his changing, listening to Potter prattle on about the game he'd played with Weasley. Suddenly, the youngest Weasley piped up and began to speak. Her tone sounded somewhat nervous.

"Yeah, 'Mione, you should have seen it. Ron nearly threw up all over Harry. Then again, Harry wasn't doing so great himself. It was actually quite disgusting, if entertaining to say the least. At some point both of them looked about to faint, so they called it a draw." She laughed, but it sounded forced to Draco.

"I'm feeling a lot better now though." Potter said, and he could hear the grin in his voice, but then continued, "So who's-" Thankfully in that moment the train whistle blew, signaling their arrival in the station. Draco could hear the other students begin to move about in the other compartments, and then flood out into the aisle. He heard Potter mumble something, but Granger didn't respond, and it would seem Weaslette and Potter were gone, replaced by the thundering footsteps of all the other students. Granger immediately went back inside the compartment, not caring if Draco had finished changing or not. Thankfully, he had.

"What took you? If you'd been a little faster changing I could have avoided that." Anger was plain in her voice. Draco was suddenly confused. Wouldn't she have _wanted _to tell her friends?

"I thought you would rat me out to Potter." The question was evident in his voice. _Why didn't you? _She merely scowled at him, displaying more anger than he thought she wanted to.

"I have my own way of doing things, something that most definitely does not concern the likes of _you_. The way I do things is none of your business." She seemed flustered though, caught off guard. He opted not to say anything else about it, and simply grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He was glad for the distraction, and how everyone seemed so eager to get back to Hogwarts. At this rate, he'd either get a carriage to himself or with Granger. He'd seen Pansy and Blaise before, but neither one of them were aware that he'd come back. He wanted it to remain that way until the last possible moment. Not being detected by his own house would keep him from being detected by Potter and Weasley before McGonagall had a word with them. So in response, Draco simply gave her a nod.

She grabbed her bag, but seemed to be waiting for something before leaving the compartment. It was the same thing Draco was waiting for, the cessation of voices and footsteps. _Is she purposely keeping me from everyone? Why?_ He didn't know her all that well, but if he were her he would have exposed the enemy immediately. Instead of saying anything, however, he opted for silence, and simply following her off the now abandoned train and towards the carriages. Most of the students had already gone ahead, even the first years were already on the lake to the school. By the time they'd reached the last carriage, all the other students were gone. In an attempt to be civil, Draco opened the door for Granger, but barely received thanks. Once again, he didn't really blame her.

Just like the train ride to the station, the ride up to the castle was the very epitome of awkwardness. Draco was leaning back in his seat, while Granger simply stared at him, hand tense over her wand again. She looked more like a warden than a teenage girl. He couldn't help but continue to wonder why she was so intent on keeping him secret, because that's the conclusion he had come to after the incident outside the compartment. She didn't want Potter and Weasley to know about him. Had she even told them about Paris? He was beginning to doubt it. Maybe he had her figured out all wrong. At this point, though, he wouldn't really be surprised by anything. He'd seen too much in his time under Voldemort's forces.

Once they were at the entrance hall, Draco hesitated. Did he really feel like risking Potter's and Weasley's reactions? Not that he was being a coward, but knowing their tempers, Weasley's especially, they were sure to make a scene at the sight of him. Granger seemed to realize this as well. She wasn't speaking, however, simply standing by the door. Claps could be heard through the wood, as the sorting hat went through the names and houses. They could hear McGonagall delivering the speech that Dumbledore would have been saying. As they listened to it, Draco watched Granger's face struggle with emotion. He could see her eyes watering, and knew that many people on the other side of the door were feeling the same way. Some of them might even actually be crying. All he could do was stare ahead, the clenching in his heart, the guilt, overriding him.

Once McGonagall's voice stopped, the sounds of the students socializing and eating came through the door. Granger was still unwilling to leave, but he could see her nervously fidgeting, despite her best efforts to hide it.

Hermione couldn't help the sadness that threatened to overwhelm her when McGonagall began the introductory speech. Blinking back tears, she kept herself from crying. She knew Harry and Ron must have been hurting as well. She was relieved when the speech was finally over, but now she was faced with the dilemma of still being outside the doors, with Malfoy of all people. She couldn't just leave, though. After being unable to do anything in Paris, she felt responsible for maintaining a close watch on Malfoy. She looked over to where he stood and saw the apprehension on his face. He didn't want to walk in there any more than she did. Was he afraid of Harry and Ron? She knew the rest of Hogwarts, not including the teachers, were unaware of his involvement with the late Headmaster's death. Would Harry and Ron really make a scene? Or could they maintain their composure during dinner? Harry might, but Ron being able to control himself was doubtful. _Unless, of course, he was too focused on his food to notice._ That wasn't likely. It is human instinct to look up when a door opens, and a door as large as the one for the Great Hall was bound to draw everyone's attention.

Suddenly, a soft _pop_ sounded behind them, and the turned to be met by none other than Dobby. He bowed deeply, and Hermione immediately began to protest. She knew he was only doing this because Malfoy was standing there. Dobby seemed to ignore her, though.

"Miss Hermione, Master Draco, please follow me to the kitchens. Mistress McGonagall has requested that if the two of you will not enter the Great Hall to dine with the other students, then you shall eat in the kitchens. Dobby must then to escort you to your new rooms, where she will meet with you." Hermione smiled at Dobby, but Malfoy simply nodded stiffly.

"Thank you, Dobby. That's very kind of you." Malfoy made a scoffing noise and she turned to glare at him.

"He was _ordered _to do this Granger. Not exactly an act of kindness if you ask me." His voice was monotone, but something else lay underneath, something Hermione couldn't quite decipher. She just continued her glare, but quickly turned to smile at Dobby again. Following Dobby, Hermione was unwilling to allow Malfoy to walk behind her. She stayed where she could see him, even if it was just out of the corner of her eye. After tickling the pear in the fruit painting, they entered the kitchens, where most of the house elves were sitting around eating their own dinners now that the students' dinners were done being served. Hermione sat at a table that Dobby had prepared for her and Malfoy. She almost laughed at the sight before her. _I bet Malfoy never thought he'd find himself eating in the Hogwarts kitchen surrounded by house elves and a mudblood. _She almost voiced her thoughts, but thought better of it when she spotted Winky talking animatedly with Dobby.

"Hello Winky, how are you?" Winky smiled timidly at Hermione's kindness, and responded softly.

"Winky is good, Miss Hermione. Thank you very much for asking. And you , miss?" She seemed even more timid asking than responding.

"I'm great Winky, thank you." She smiled at her, causing Winky to respond in a smile as well. Malfoy seemed to be watching her, a confused expression on his face. _Is it really that difficult for him to be kind to them? _She imagined he had grown up with house elves all his life. After all, Dobby had once belonged to the Malfoys. A lifetime around them should have made him comfortable with them, but then again she knew he was raised to see them as inferior. Soon, all the house elves began to leave, going to their own quarters for the night. Hermione and Malfoy were just completing their dinner when Winky left, leaving Dobby to escort them.

The entire way to their new dorms was spent in silence, Hermione still watching Malfoy's every move. A feeling of nostalgia washed over her as they passed Gryffindor tower. She wished to be within the warm confines of the Gryffindor common room, chatting away with her fellow housemates, instead of walking the cold corridors, to a dorm she would have to share with one of the people she hated most. Dobby finally came to a stop in front of a large portrait, in which a young child resided, no more than four or five years old. She was a beautiful little girl, smiling up at the both of them, watching them through bright, green eyes. She sat on a large armchair, her black curls pressing against the back of the seat. Her formal, purple gown spread over her legs, covering her feet, too.

"Hello. My name is Olivia. What's yours?" The innocence in her voice was astonishing to Hermione, giving rise to a maternal instinct that only Harry and Ron had the ability to bring out.

"Hermione Granger."

"Draco Malfoy."

"Well, Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, it is very nice to meet you both!" Another beaming smile. "The password is _Unity_." She put strong emphasis on the word, then allowed them entrance into their new dorm.

Hermione had to hold back a gasp of surprise when she saw their new common room. Much like Gryffindor tower, it was richly furnished, except that, instead of the red of Gryffindor furniture, it was a dark purple, almost black, similar to Olivia's dress. There was a welcoming couch in front of a fireplace. Behind it, there was a mahogany table with two matching chairs. She assumed that's where they would do their studying and homework. There were bookshelves filled with what seemed like an endless amount of literature, and Hermione's hands were just itching to begin going through it, her bookworm self temporarily getting the best of her. The carpet matched the dark purple of the couch, and she followed it up the stairs and to where she assumed their rooms and bathroom would be located. They couldn't go up yet, though. There was a note from Professor McGonagall requesting that they report to the Headmaster's, or in this case, Headmistress's office.

_Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger,_

_Report to my office, as I would like a word with the both of you, as well as to explain your current situation. I apologize for not letting you know of this sooner, Ms. Granger. I will explain everything in my office._

_-Professor McGonagall_

They did as the note said, Hermione once again keeping a close eye on Malfoy. All the while thinking, _Stupid ferret. I wanted to _enjoy _a year at Hogwarts, but it looks like I won't even be able to do that. So much for Dumbledore's wish of us having a normal, or what could pass as normal, school year..._

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_There's another one for you! Thanks again to my reviewers, I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this chapter, and many more to follow! (hint, hint: please review?) haha :)_

_Your thoughts are always appreciated! Any suggestions, comments, you know the drill....:) thanks!!_


	5. Secrets

_Well, here's another one! I hope you all like it. Again, I can't express my gratitude enough at my reviewers. You guys are the best! Thank you!!! I seriously LOVE the feedback coming in for this story. :)_

_I don't own anything...._

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Chapter 5: Secrets

Before leaving them, Dobby gave them the password, lemon drops, to gain access to the office. With a final bow and a snap of his fingers, he disappeared. Malfoy and Hermione were now left alone to follow the note's instructions. Again, Hermione was very wary of Malfoy. The walk to the griffin statue seemed eternal, and when they finally reached it, Hermione felt like sighing in relief. If anything, the walk had been more tense than the ride on the train, the carriage, and their dinner combined. Hermione's face seemed to have taken on a permanent scowl, and now that Dobby was gone, there was no way a smile could be solicited from her features. Malfoy mumbled the password, and allowed Hermione to walk in first after the griffin moved aside. She did, although not for a minute letting her guard down. Her eagerness to learn what was going on overruled her paranoia at Malfoy, however. _McGonagall better have a good explanation for this. She definitely knows how Malfoy made several attempts at Dumbledore's life. Even if these are orders from Dumbledore himself, she must have _some _objections._

When they finally walked into the office, they were greeted by a firm, yet soft voice.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, it is good to see you again." McGonagall was seated at what used to be Dumbledore's desk, and it struck Hermione how strange it was to see someone other than him sitting there. Stranger still, however, was the person standing beside her, opposite form the side Fawks was perched. Morose as ever, the man simply stared at them, barely acknowledging Hermione, yet nodding briefly at Malfoy. Professor Snape's eyes looked tired, and he seemed somewhat defeated, though Hermione could do nothing to analyze him further.

"Professor," Hermione put on her best 'perfect student' voice, "with all due respect, what is going on? I was under the impression that the Order was hunting Malfoy and Professor Snape." Out of respect for the man's previous title, she couldn't help but call him professor. However, she spoke of them as if they weren't in the room. She was glad that she'd managed to react properly to her shock this time around. McGonagall didn't hint at anything but patience with the expression on her face.

"I am sorry you had to find out this way, Ms. Granger. However, I could not risk telling you in a letter of Mr. Malfoy being Head Boy or even that he was returning to Hogwarts this year. You see, Ms. Granger, Severus and Mr. Malfoy are under the _protection_ of the Order."

"_What?_" All formalities and manners aside, Hermione momentarily forgot herself, and where she was. Her mind was in a state of confusion, and all she was capable of doing at this point was stare at McGonagall, once again in shock. _What is going on? Why would the Order be protecting its leader's murderers?_ _Do Harry and Ron know? Of course not, if they did, they wouldn't have been so curious. _She understood then that this was why Tonks and the others hadn't bothered asking her about Paris. By the looks of it, Snape may have very well told them the whole encounter himself.

Draco was taken aback by Granger's sudden reaction. Of course he knew she'd be surprised, but he thought she could have maintained her composure for longer. He had to give her some credit, though, for having made it this far without killing him. He simply stood back, watching McGonagall explain everything to Granger. Knowing her, she'd definitely believe the professor. That's when Draco realized why he had been paired with Granger. She was clearly the smartest of the trio, and would be able to understand and maybe even accept the situation much better than the other two ever would. Draco had to praise Dumbledore for that one, the man truly was a genius. He suddenly felt a whole new wave of remorse for what he'd helped accomplish. After another moment of silence, Granger continued.

"But professor _why?_"

"It was Albus's plan from the beginning of last year. He knew Mr. Malfoy had been assigned to kill him, Severus provided that information. Narcissa Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy's mother, made an Unbreakable Vow with Severus, which stated that he was to help Mr. Malfoy in any way for the task to be completed. This was all done with Dumbledore's orders. Severus was instructed to do what it took to protect young Mr. Malfoy here, and to keep Voldemort none the wiser of his double agent status. Somehow, Albus knew that Narcissa would come to Severus for help. He specifically told Severus to kill him for Mr. Malfoy." Draco was sure Granger knew what an Unbreakable Vow was, with all the reading she did. Not to mention that it had been discussed once in their DADA class. He decided it was his moment to speak.

"I didn't have a choice, Granger, but that night Dumbledore had approached me earlier, offering me help, saying the light was still available if I so choose. At the time I wasn't sure what he was talking about. He was all cryptic about it, and led me to believe that he was simply offering every day advice. I thought he didn't know my whole plan, but he did. He _knew _he was going to die. Hell, Granger, he asked Snape to be the one to do it. Everything happened the way Dumbledore had meant it to." He could almost hear the cogs turning in her head. For once he was grateful for her intelligence. Draco could only imagine what it would be like trying to convince Potter or Weasley. They would let their anger get in the way, and would immediately jump to some kind of conclusion that probably involve the Imperius Curse. He gave her a moment to take it in before continuing. "After we fled the castle that night, Snape elaborated on what Dumbledore had meant. And of course, Voldemort wasn't going to be pleased with the result of the night, even if the mission had been accomplished. We had no choice but to leave the Death Eaters as well. We've been in hiding since." Draco looked over to Snape, so he would continue their story from there.

"We found the Order, but the only one that knew of the plans was Minerva, who then had to explain it to the others. Once everyone knew, we came to the conclusion that the best place to hide would be Hogwarts, practically hiding in plain sight. Despite Albus's absence, it is still the safest place in the wizarding world. So Mr. Malfoy was made Head Boy for his own protection, and I will also remain within the castle walls." Granger was once again simply taking it all in. Her face no longer contained the scowl, now it held the expression they had all often seen when she devoted herself to her studies. She was thinking hard about what she was hearing, trying to pick out any lies. Suddenly, an unexpected voice came from above McGonagall's head.

"Ms. Granger, do believe what you are being told. I chose you for this specific task. Mr. Weasley and Harry are wonderful wizards, but neither of them could have handled this situation as well as you are doing." Everyone's head shot up to the portrait of the late Headmaster Dumbledore. He looked down on them with his steady, twinkling eyes. It unnerved Draco to see him there, and he was sure Granger wasn't feeling very comfortable, either.

Hermione listened to everything without an interruption, but after Snape spoke, she was ready to speak again. However, she'd been stopped by the sound of Dumbledore's voice. It was his portrait, hanging above McGonagall, that was able to fully convince her. She did believe everything they were saying, but just couldn't wrap her head around _why_. If anyone could have found a way around this, it was Dumbledore. How was it that he couldn't outsmart Voldemort this time? But hearing the assurance from Dumbledore himself was enough to convince Hermione entirely. Any thoughts that McGonagall was under the Imperius Curse left her. That had been, after all, her first and foremost thought. When she walked in and saw Snape standing there, her mind had began to whirl, and every possibility ran through her, _Imperio_ being the most plausible. But then again, why go through the trouble of convincing her when they could have used the curse on her too? She never would have thought of the actual truth. Albus Dumbledore truly was ingenious, even after death. Everything worked out the way he had planned. It was truly astonishing to Hermione. After a deep breath, she spoke.

"What do you wish me to do Professor?" She was addressing both McGonagall and Dumbledore, but the portrait was the one to respond.

"Keep an eye on Harry and Ron. I would like them to finish the school year, and not endanger themselves until the final battle. The Order is more than capable of handling the Horcruxes on their own. At this point there is only one left. It shouldn't take them long to find it, but I need Harry and Ron to stay safe. That also goes for you as well. The three of you are too important to risk." Hermione nodded. She knew this part, but also knew there was more to it now that Malfoy and Snape were involved, as well. "I also need you to help Mr. Malfoy. As you know, no one but the professors and you three know about his and Severus's involvement in my death. You must strive to keep it that way. We cannot allow either of them to fall into Voldemort's hands again, lest he kill them and force information from Severus. Harry and Ron will not be as accepting or tolerant as you are. Help them understand, and keep the three of them from killing each other." The last part he said with the classic Dumbledore smile and twinkle behind his eye. "The goal for this year, since you were not present for Professor McGonagall's speech, is interhouse peace and cooperation. What better way to demonstrate that than to have the two of you working together? As Head Boy and Head Girl, I expect the both of you to cooperate, and relay this message of peace to the rest of the school through example." After those last words, he smiled, and left his frame to go an walk of the school, to visit portraits in the different houses and see how people were doing.

After Dumbledore's explanation, all Hermione could manage to do was agree to everything. She immediately shifted her focus from Malfoy to how she would explain everything to the boys. She looked over at the Slytherin beside her, wondering how it was that he'd gone from threatening her and almost killing Dumbledore, to needing her help and having no choice but to turn to the Order for help. Now that she took a closer look, he resembled the boy from the year before, the one that always look tired and defeated, exhausted. Hermione didn't _like _Malfoy, by any means, but that didn't mean she couldn't be civil or show some sympathy. A part of her began to feel sorry for him, her rage at him turning to pity. _He may be a prejudiced pig and a slimy git, but he is still human. Who knows? If Ron had grown up in an environment like his, he may have ended up as one of the pure-blood bigots, too. _The thought struck her as strange, but Ron sure was stubborn enough to be considered a bigot in his own right. Ron's world was black and white, and it left no room for double agents like Snape. Although her opinions were the same as Ron's and Harry's, and she was unwavering, she could tolerate and cooperate with people she didn't like. Because of that single trait that set her apart from her friends, Dumbledore had chosen her.

Dumbledore's exit seemed to be the cue for them all to leave. Snape left first, leaving McGonagall to say goodnight to Hermione and Malfoy. Hermione watched as Snape left, a kind of new respect for the man developing inside her. To have been ordered to kill Dumbledore by the man himself must have been the hardest thing anyone could go through. They all admired Dumbledore, even Voldemort had to, to an extent. She felt sorry for Snape, too.

The walk back to the dorm lacked the angry tension that had kept Hermione going the whole night since stepping foot in the compartment. Now she was tired, and could do nothing but think of sleeping. It was far past curfew, and she was suddenly grateful that her first class the next morning, Ancient Runes, wasn't until eleven. She would get to sleep in much later than she had her past years. Every now and again she'd glance over at Malfoy, wondering what went on in his mind. He seemed remorseful of what he'd done, but she strongly doubted any of his opinions on muggles and muggleborns had changed. No one changes that quickly, especially not someone as stubborn as Malfoy himself.

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_Well there ya have it, my explanation for torturing poor Hermione :)....You know how this goes by now haha, leave thoughts, comments, suggestions, insults, whatever floats your boat by clicking the nice button below!!!_

_Thanks for reading/reviewing!!_


	6. Civility

_Well here's the next chapter. It's slightly longer than the others haha....but not so bad. Thank you to all my reviewers, you guys are awesome!!_

_I don't own any of it, though I wish I owned Draco...haha, then again who doesn't?_

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Chapter 6: Civility

The awkward silence between them remained all the way to the dorms. Hermione gave Olivia the password, and after walking inside, the two simply stood in the common room. Hermione was unsure of what to say. It had been simple addressing the professors, but Malfoy was a completely different story. This boy had tormented her for the past six years. He'd done his best to make her life, and that of her friends, a living hell. How could she cooperate with him after everything he'd done? Not to mention that he _was_ the reason Dumbledore was no longer alive, and in effect the reason she had to work with him now. Yes, she pitied him, even felt some small inkling of sympathy for him, but she could never forget what he put her through. With a sigh, she turned to face him, realizing he hadn't moved from his spot either.

"Listen, Malfoy, don't think this changes anything. I know you're in danger, and need help, but don't expect me to always be around to protect you. I'll talk to Harry and Ron, but you better not do anything to antagonize them, got it? I'll be the first to make you pay for it." She took two steps towards him and brandished her wand. "And I swear if you do _anything_ to exploit the trust Dumbledore has placed in you, I'll drag you to Azkaban myself." _That is, if I can control myself long enough not to kill you..._ Hermione was willing to give it a chance. Who knew? From what she'd seen that night, some part of Malfoy was suffering. How much, she wasn't sure, but she hoped it was enough to make him worthy of her protection. God knew he would need it if he expected to survive the week. Hermione dreaded being the bearer of this news to Harry and Ron.

"Of course, Granger." With those words, he went up the stairs, and Hermione followed behind him, suddenly eager to see her new room. His room was at the end of the hall, and she watched as he stood before his door. Before opening it, he spoke again. "Thank you." Before he could walk into his room, Hermione spoke.

"Don't thank me, I'm just following orders. Dumbledore is the one you should be thanking." The way she said it didn't hide her remaining anger. Throwing his words back at him stung, she could tell by the look on his face. At the mention of Dumbledore's name, she saw him cringe, and there was another emotion in his eyes. Remorse? Had she perhaps gone too far in what she'd said? Malfoy didn't say anything else after that. With a solemn nod, he walked into his room. Hermione didn't know why, but a part of her wanted to apologize. She wouldn't though, firm in her resolve that he didn't deserve an apology.

Draco sat in his room, a strange mixture of relief and apprehension churning inside him. The night had gone much better than expected, and he was glad Dumbledore had chosen Granger over anyone else for the task. With a sigh he leaned back against his door, trying to clear the tumultuous thoughts in his mind. He looked around his room, taking in the dark green and silver. His four poster bed was about twice the size of the regular dorms, with a soft looking comforter and silk sheets. Beside it was a mahogany nightstand. At the foot of the bed was a chest where he knew his regular clothes were stored. On top of the chest were the books he would be using. There was a closet on the other side of the room where his school uniforms hung. A single window allowed moonlight to shine in. He got up to see the grounds, slightly surprised that he could see the Quidditch pitch from his room. There was a decent amount of space on the window sill, so he decided to sit and stare at the outside. Draco wouldn't be able to sleep that night, only stare at the moon and the stars, knowing that the days and months to follow would not be easy.

Hermione was doing much the same thing as Malfoy. When she walked into her room, she'd been taken aback by how much nicer it was than the girls dorms in Gryffindor tower. However, like those rooms, this one was also decorated in red and gold. Her four poster bed was large, with a soft comforter and matching red silk sheets. Her journal lay on the nightstand by her bed. She was siting at the foot of the bed on the chest, looking through her school books. After inspecting that everything was there, she looked out the window to see the Quidditch pitch. All she could think about was how difficult the next few days would be, and hoped the trouble would not carry over into months. The sooner she told Harry and Ron, the faster their reactions would blow over, if they did at all. After one more sweep of the grounds, she turned her back to the window. She had to clear her head. Grabbing a towel out of the trunk, she grabbed other toiletries and her clothes before leaving her room and heading for the bathroom. She was exhausted, but a shower would help ease the tension in her muscles. God knew she needed to relax.

Her breath caught when she saw the bathroom. It was just like the prefect bathrooms. The bath tub itself was more like a swimming pool she could fit in her backyard. Quickly undressing, she put her stuff aside and jumped in, enjoying the way the water eased her muscles. With a sigh she leaned against the bath's edge, closing her eyes. _Tomorrow won't be easy, not at all. God, how am I going to tell them? I'm going to have to either beat Malfoy to breakfast or walk with him. _She took another deep breath, taking in the soothing aromas of the bubbles. _Just clear your mind, Hermione. Relax, this will be over before you know it._ After another twenty minutes in the bath, she realized she couldn't sacrifice any more sleep or she would be in no shape the next morning to deal with the matter at hand properly. She climbed out of the bath, wrapping herself in her towel and taking her things back to her room. Within minutes she was under the sheets, eyes drooping as she looked at the Gryffindor crest stitched onto the canopy of her bed.

The next morning, Hermione didn't wake up until nine, an entire hour after breakfast started. When she realized this, a strange panic started to take over. Had Malfoy already gone to breakfast? Had she already screwed up her first order? Trying to drive the panic out, Hermione scrambled about her room, grabbing her things and getting ready for the day. She was flustered and flushed by the time she'd made it down the stairs, only to see Malfoy sitting at their desk, reading one of the books from the bookshelf behind him. She stopped for a moment, taking in what she saw. He'd waited before going to breakfast. _Good. _She unconsciously smiled, relieved, greeting him with a nod when he looked up.

"Good morning, Granger." She didn't have a choice but to respond accordingly. After reacting the way she did the night before to his attempted politeness, she decided she was better off being polite in return. As much as she would like to do so to the old Malfoy, the new one didn't need salt to be rubbed on his open wounds. She knew their Head duties included being role models to the rest of Hogwarts, but she also knew there was no need to be civil when no one was watching. The fact that he was making that attempt without an audience said a lot to her, and made the ordeal that much easier.

"Good morning." He was looking at her strangely, and she realized she'd smiled at him. It must have been strange for him to see that, since there had been a permanent scowl on her face the night before. She quickly remedied that, stopping the smile and continuing, "Thanks for waiting. I was afraid you'd think I'd gone ahead." He simply nodded in response and got up, closing the book and putting it back on the shelf. Malfoy grabbed his school bag and they both walked out, a more comfortable silence settling on them than the one that had been present the night before. Hermione stole a few glances at the so-called Slytherin Prince, but saw that he wasn't looking much like royalty that morning. He looked like he hadn't slept at all. His eyes were sunken in, and his gaze was tired. His walk was slower than the night before, and Hermione couldn't help but comment on it. "Malfoy, are you feeling alright? Did you get any sleep, at all?"

"I'm fine." His tone was gruff, annoyed. Hermione tucked that bit of information in the back of her mind for future reference. _Lack of sleep equals grumpy Malfoy_. She almost found it amusing, if she didn't have the task of explaining to the boys ahead of her. When they reached the Great Hall, Hermione opted to enter first. "I'll give you a two minute head start. I'd give you more, but I'm hungry and my first class is in less than an hour." _Why didn't he say that earlier? I wouldn't have slept in so late if I'd known that! _She nodded, hurrying into the hall and keeping herself from looking back at his tired form. She immediately met Ginny's eyes. The redhead's eyes widened, and Hermione immediately knew she'd caught a glimpse of the blond outside. She could only sigh in relief that Ron and Harry were turned the other way.

"Hey 'Mione. Where were you yesterday?" Ginny smiled nervously at her, a hint of apprehension in her eyes. The look on Hermione's face only made the apprehension worsen.

"Goo mornin." Ron, as usual, was stuffing his face, bits of bacon falling onto his plate. Harry repeated the greeting, lacking the mouthful. They both smiled at Hermione, making her stomach sink. _Snap out of it! You're wasting time. Malfoy's going to walk in here any minute. _She sat down, taking a deep breath, but unable to find the right words. She settled on the first thing that came to mind.

"Okay. Harry, Ron, I have something to tell you." Her voice made it clear that it was important, and that they should listen. They'd heard this tone before whenever she helped them with a particularly difficult assignment. Hermione only sounded like this when she meant business. "It's about...Malfoy, he-" Harry and Ron didn't give her a chance to say anything more. They immediately began jumping to conclusions.

"I knew it! See Harry? I told you she hadn't said the whole story."

"Hermione how could you? Why would you lie?" Their reactions annoyed Hermione, so she immediately hit Ron on the head, shooting a glare at Harry, who was across from her.

"If you'd let me finish!" Her tone was sharper this time, reprimanding. They immediately quieted, but not for long. Unfortunately for Hermione, Malfoy decided her two minutes were up and walked in. The doors creaked open and she visibly winced. She immediately jumped into her explanation, but neither of the boys were listening. Now that they were facing her, they saw when the door opened, and saw who it was that walked in. Ron's face immediately matched his hair as he reached for his wand, while Harry did the same, but with a more stoic expression. The rage they felt, however, came off both of them in nearly visible waves. Hermione stopped in mid-sentence and shot a look at Ginny. Harry had already begun to get up from his seat, and Ginny took it as her cue to intervene. She grabbed Harry's robe, but he struggled against her. Hermione did the same with Ron, but wasn't quick enough to grab hold. He made it down the aisle a few steps, but tripped, courtesy of Luna Lovegood.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry Ron. How clumsy of me." Hermione took this opportunity to get up and grab Ron, dragging him surreptitiously back to their seats, where Harry was still struggling against Ginny. She gave Luna a thankful look. That girl was more observant than anyone gave her credit for. Once Hermione managed to get Ron to sit down, she held him there, pulling her wand out and threatening him, as Ginny did the same with Harry. They were both surprised enough to calm down slightly, but then their rage came back tenfold when it registered that Ginny and Hermione were stopping them from getting at _Malfoy_. Neither of them had any qualms about using a harmless jinx on the boys. Harry and Ron, on the other hand, weren't very good at harmless jinxes, and couldn't do anything but sit there, unable to do anything for hear of hurting Hermione and Ginny.

"What are you _doing_ Hermione? It's Malfoy! Why won't you let us get him? You do remember what he did, don't you?" Ron was furious, practically yelling at her, and she cringed slightly at the sight of his rage. Harry was having a similar conversation with Ginny.

"If the two of you would just listen! You have to fix that 'shoot first, ask questions later' mentality. It's going to get you killed." Hermione fixed them with the strictest glare she had. "Now, can I trust the both of you not to go kill him? Hear me out first, and for Pete's sake please remember that we're the only ones that know what happened! You can't make a scene, got it?" They nodded their heads in unison, and Hermione looked over at Ginny and nodded for her to lower her wand. "Alright. Back to what I was saying. Malfoy is, as you noticed, back at Hogwarts. He is also Head Boy." She paused, knowing how they would react.

"WHAT?!" They did nothing to conceal their voices. Everyone in the hall heard when McGonagall deducted five points from Gryffindor. Snickers could be heard from the Slytherin table, but Hermione was relieved to see that Malfoy was not among the laughter. She continued.

"That was my reaction, too. There's a perfectly good explanation for it, though." Ron snorted, rolling his eyes. This angered Hermione, who proceeded to hit him again. His attitude was bothering her more than usual. "He and Snape are under protection from the Order. Dumbledore planned his own death, ordered Snape to do it in place of Malfoy. Malfoy's mom made an Unbreakable Vow with Snape, which only worked towards Dumbledore's ultimate goal. Voldemort wasn't pleased with Snape and Malfoy's disobedience, and Snape's double agent status was exposed." Harry stayed shut, taking it all in, he immediately voiced his suspicions.

"How do you know those aren't all lies from Snape?"

"Yeah, they're both slimy Slytherin gits. It's all a lie Hermione. How could you fall for it?" Hermione appreciated the way Harry voiced his opinion. It was a question. But Ron, on the other hand, questioned her intelligence, something no one should _ever_ do. Because of this, Hermione addressed only Ron in her response.

"Thank you, _Ronald_, for thinking so highly of me. As a matter of fact, I didn't hear this from either one of them. Those words came from Professor McGonagall. She called me into her office last night to explain." Ron's rage kept him from realizing that she'd known of Malfoy's presence since the night before, on the train. However, Harry did realize this, and didn't refrain from saying something.

"Hermione, why didn't you tell us about this last night?" He was angry, but it wasn't as apparent or violent as Ron's anger. That's when Ron's head perked up, and the realization hit him too.

"You lied to us, 'Mione?" Again, she had no problem with Harry's wording, but Ron was beginning to aggravate her. She opted to ignore him altogether this time.

"Because, Harry, you would have reacted this way on the train. Between you and Ron, he wouldn't have made it to Hogwarts. Trust me, it's not like I made friends with him or anything. When I saw him there I immediately brought out my wand. I watched him like a hawk the whole ride here. The only moment I wasn't watching was when we changed into our uniforms. We had dinner in the kitchens and then met with McGonagall, who told me everything." Ron simply stared at the Slytherin table with pure hatred, while Harry considered what he was being told. After a moment, Harry's shoulders relaxed.

"Are you sure there isn't anything suspicious about this?" Thankfully, Harry had managed to calm down some.

"Yes, Harry. I went through every possibility. The worst case scenario is the Imperius Curse, but if that were the case they wouldn't have bothered to convince me the old fashioned way. And I spoke to Dumbledore's portrait. He confirmed everything." Just as it had been for Hermione, it was enough for Harry.

"Alright, Hermione. I trust your judgment. If you're ok with this, then so am I." He smiled at her, and relief washed over Hermione and Ginny. Ron was in shock at his friends' reactions.

"Well, _I _don't like it. I don't trust Malfoy one bit." Hermione immediately snapped back at him.

"No one's asking you to _like_ it Ronald. Hell, no one really cares if you do. The point is that you do not do anything to endanger him, alright?" With those final words Hermione turned to eat her food, maintaining a silence for the rest of the meal. Ginny left for her class early, and Harry and Ron didn't have a class until that afternoon. Before leaving, Ron decided to speak again. "Since when are you Malfoy's babysitter, 'Mione?"

"Well, Ron it doesn't feel like I'm _his _babysitter." He got the meaning of her words loud and clear, and Harry had to intervene before Ron said anything to annoy Hermione further. They both left, and she watched their retreating backs, angry at herself, but most of all at Ron. He always said things to provoke her. Why couldn't he be more like Harry? At least Harry trusted her enough to rely on her judgment of a situation. After she was sure they were gone, she got up, too. Looking over at the Slytherin table, she saw Malfoy stand. Zabini and Parkinson were on either side of him. They hadn't made the scene that Harry and Ron had, but then again she was sure they didn't find it strange to see him there. Knowing what they would expect him to do if they encountered Hermione, she bolted out of the Great Hall. However, Malfoy soon caught up with her, Parkinson and Zabini having gone in a different direction.

"Granger!" She stopped and turned around, surprised to see him running up to her.

"What, Malfoy?" The venom in her voice wasn't entirely directed at him, but she felt it was a good outlet.

Draco had seen the entire thing back in the Great Hall. Potter had understood, and maybe even accepted. Weasley, on the other hand, had done or said something to upset Granger. Weasley had been severely unreasonable in his reaction.

"I'm...sorry about how Weasley reacted. Thank you...again." He couldn't look her in the eye, knowing full well that any conflict that arose because of this would be his fault. He didn't care about Weasley, but he did feel an amount of guilt towards Granger. She didn't ask for any of this, just like he hadn't asked to be forced into trying to take Dumbledore's life, and how Potter hadn't asked to be The Boy Who Lived.

"I didn't do it for you." She looked at him sternly. Hermione figured this was the best way to vent her anger. If she went looking for Ron, she'd do something stupid. At least with Malfoy she was used to fighting. Malfoy simply nodded. She could see some kind of understanding in his eyes. He really was making an effort to maintain peace with her. Could he tell that she was being torn up inside? She hated fighting with Ron. She may no longer have romantic feelings for him, but he was one of her best friends. He was so stubborn sometimes, it killed her. Hermione just wanted things to go back to normal, or what normal for the Golden Trio was. She'd spent most of the previous year fighting Ron. She didn't want to do the same this year. Even so, it would seem she didn't have much of a choice. Her duty to Dumbledore and keeping the three of them out of trouble came first and foremost. "This isn't easy Malfoy, not at all. Please do as I said and steer clear of them? At least Ron. Harry trusts me, but Ron...he's more difficult to convince. It could be Dumbledore himself telling him what I said and it wouldn't make a difference."

"I didn't expect Weasley to believe you. I'm surprised Potter did. Hell, I'm surprised _you_ didn't kill me on the spot back in Paris, and then again on the train."

"I'm not as brash as _some _Gryffindors." She said this with a smile, though, a sisterly affection for Harry and Ron speaking for her. "You should probably be getting to class." Malfoy nodded, leaving her to walk by herself to the dorm. _That was...strange. I actually had a somewhat decent conversation with him. Maybe his _is _human after all._ She sighed, judging by the looks of it, this first week of school was going to be hellish.

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	7. Digging Deeper

_Here's the next one! I really love the feedback you guys are giving me. Thanks so much!!_

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Chapter 7: Digging Deeper

Hermione finally made it back to the common room. She had another hour before her class started, so she decided to grab a book and sit at her desk to pass the time. Engulfed in the book, she didn't realize that her class would start in five minutes. When she looked up at a clock hanging over the mantle of the fireplace, she realized she'd stayed in the common room for too long. Her heart sank. She would be late to her first class. Practically stumbling out of her chair she grabbed her books and ran out of the portrait hole. Unfortunately, Malfoy had just given Olivia the password, and Hermione flew out the portrait hole, crashing into him.

"Ow! Damn it..." He nearly fell back, looking at Hermione's stumbling form. After regaining his balance, he reached out to steady Hermione. "Merlin, Granger, watch where you're going next time?" Normally he would have annoyed her, but she was too worried about being late. She mumbled an apology and started to run off. "Hey, where are you going? Maybe I can help?" Hermione was taken aback by his offer, but she stopped running, turning to look at him.

"Ancient Runes. It's two floors up from here and on the other side of the school. I doubt you can help." She was getting more anxious by the moment. _Dammit, why did I stop? I can't waste anymore time! _She was about to continue running, but Malfoy soon caught up, grabbing her by the arm. It reminded her of what had happened during her vacation, and a bit of her old embarrassment came back. This was not the kind of beginning to her seventh year that she'd been hoping for. It was only the first day and she was going to embarrass herself again by being late to class.

"Don't worry about it Granger. There's a secret passageway down this hall that drops you right off by the Ancient Runes classroom." Draco had extensive knowledge of many secret passageways in Hogwarts. Thanks to all his work the year before in preparation for the attack on Hogwarts, he'd found several different ways to get around the school. The passageway he spoke of now, though, wasn't of much use to him the year before. He still made sure to make a note of where it was, though, in case he found use for it later. Granger looked at him strangely, in a combination of surprise and confusion.

"How do you...?" He simply shook his head, communicating 'you don't wanna know.' "Oh. Alright." She nodded at him and went off in the direction he'd said.

"It's behind the tapestry with the green knight. Just follow it straight through," he called after her. Draco watched her run, wondering how it was _she _didn't know of that particular secret passage. It hadn't been of any use to him, but knowing how many classes the know-it-all Gryffindor usually tried to fit in her schedule he thought she would have figured out ways to maneuver through the school more quickly. In fact, he was surprised when she didn't wake up that morning until late. He was sure she would have been up by six at the latest. After watching her disappear behind the tapestry, Draco went into the common room, deciding to keep reading the book he'd started that morning. When he looked on the shelf, however, he noticed it missing. He turned to the desk, where he was amused to find one of the chairs tipped over. _Probably the one Granger was sitting in when she realized she was late. _Chuckling, he bent down to straighten it, but as he got up he noticed the book on the table. Picking it up, he saw that Granger had placed a bookmark in it, a little over halfway through. It was the same one he'd been reading, and he realized she'd passed where he'd stopped that morning. _Wow, she really is a bookworm, isn't she? At least she has good taste._ Leaving her bookmark in place, he grabbed a small sheet of paper, wrote _DM _on it, and sat to pick up where he'd left off.

Hermione made it to the class just as the last student was filing in. With a sigh of relief, she chose a seat off to the side. Professor Babbling entered the room seconds after she had picked a seat. She slouched in her chair a bit, giving in to her relief before sitting at attention, ready to take notes. _Note to self: thank Malfoy later._ The class seemed to drag, however. Hermione found herself distracted, unable to focus as fully as she used to. When it was finally over, she looked down at her notes, half expecting them to be littered with squiggles. To her surprise, she'd managed to take decent notes, despite her wandering mind. _I'm just mentally exhausted. _With that she got up, gathering her things and heading for lunch. She dreaded sitting anywhere near Ron, but she didn't want to cause any more issues among her friends. When she walked into the Great Hall, she was relieved to only see Ginny. It seemed the boys hadn't left the dorms yet. When she sat down, she was greeted by a smile. After a few quiet seconds, Ginny spoke.

"So now I understand what the whole thing on the train was about." She laughed a bit, "Who would have thought? Hermione protecting Draco Malfoy?" She laughed again, making Hermione smile. "So why didn't you hex him on the spot?"

"Oh, believe me, I wanted to. But he said something about Dumbledore making him Head Boy, and I couldn't bring myself to do anything until I spoke to McGonagall. That, and I kind of owed him for Paris, so yeah." She nodded understandingly. Hermione was glad to have Ginny. If it weren't for her and Harry, she would have lost her mind by now.

"So what's it like, living with a Slytherin?" Ginny looked too eager, and Hermione saw a familiar sparkle in her eye. What was she thinking about?

"Well, Gin, it's only the first day. But, since we haven't killed each other yet, I guess I can say it's ok. He hasn't done anything to annoy me. Yet." At that, Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table, to see Malfoy talking animatedly to Zabini. Parkinson seemed to be trying to listen in, but they were both making a visible effort to ignore her. He looked a lot better then he had that morning. As if feeling her eyes on him, Malfoy turned to see her, nodding slightly and giving her a ghost of a smile before returning to his conversation. Ginny watched the exchange with curiosity bubbling inside her.

"If you ask me, 'Mione, it doesn't look like he'll be annoying you." Ginny gave her a knowing smile, and Hermione immediately frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione didn't need to ask, though. She had a distinct feeling she knew what the younger witch was referring to.

"Well, I think there might be some connection between you, that's all." Hermione's eyes widened in slight shock. She'd been expecting this kind of response, but hearing it out loud was completely different. Ginny simply smiled at her reaction.

"I don't think so, Gin." But Hermione couldn't help another glance at the Slytherin table, the thought beginning to take root. _She's lost it. That's definitely _not _going to happen._ "The most that could come of us spending so much time around each other is a friendship, which is doubtful anyway. To tell you the truth, though, I kind of hope to reach some kind of truce with him. It would make this year a lot easier." She realized she'd been staring at the Slytherins, and immediately looked away, hoping no one else had noticed. Before Ginny could respond, Harry and Ron arrived at the table. Harry greeted Ginny with a kiss and Hermione with a smile, seemingly forgetting about the whole Malfoy situation. Ron, on the other hand, didn't acknowledge Hermione and barely nodded at his sister.

"Hello Harry, Ron." She needed to make a reconciliation attempt, especially since her next class would be spent with them _and _Malfoy. They had double DADA with the Slytherins right after lunch. Harry was the only one to respond.

"What's up, 'Mione? You look exhausted. Ancient Runes that boring?" Hermione laughed at his attempt to be funny.

"Of course not, Harry, I'm just exhausted. I didn't sleep very well." He nodded understandingly. Harry tried to draw Ron into the conversation, but it was in vain. He utterly refused to speak to Hermione. She was getting sick of it, and eventually gave up, signaling for Harry to give up trying, too. With a sigh she dedicated the rest of her lunch to actually eating, while she listened to the three of them talk about the upcoming Quidditch tryouts.

Draco saw when Potter and Weasley walked into the Great Hall. He could see Granger's shoulders stiffen, and for a good reason, because Weasley acted as if she wasn't even there. He really was giving her a hard time over something she was ordered to do. He knew the feeling. It's not like Granger had a choice in what was going on. Dumbledore had placed this task on her just as abruptly as Voldemort had placed the task of murdering the late Headmaster on Draco. If Draco looked like hell, then Granger wasn't looking so great either.

"Draco? Hello..." A hand waved in his face, and he snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in.

"What?"

"Are you alright? You were staring off into space." Blaise looked concerned, but then he followed Draco's eyes to what he'd been staring at. "You do know the Weaslette is taken by Potter, right?" Draco was taken aback.

"Idiot. I wasn't staring at her."

"The mudblood then?" Blaise's voice was shocked.

"No. I wasn't staring at _Granger_ either." He put an emphasis on her name. He'd broken the habit of using the term 'mudblood' over the summer, as Snape reprimanded him whenever he used it, or anything like it. Besides, in the short time he'd spent with her, a strange sense of respect for her developed. It had always been there, the kind of respect one would have towards a formidable enemy, but due to recent events, and how she'd handled herself that respect changed.

"Then what _were _you doing?"

"Staring off into space, like you said." He gave him the classic smirk. Blaise was about to say something else, when Pansy chose that moment to shriek Draco's name.

"Drakey!! You've been ignoring me this whole time!" She crossed her arms in front of herself, pouting like a three year old. Blaise cringed, feeling sorry for his friend. When he'd boarded the Hogwarts express and found only Pansy, he'd wanted to die. Anything would be better than an hours long train ride with Pansy Parkinson chatting away in her annoying voice. Draco didn't blame him.

"Wouldn't you think that's for a reason, Pansy?" She just ignored him, placing her head on his shoulder and trying to drape her arms around him.

"So where were you this summer, Drakey? I missed you! And then the train ride was just _awful_ without you." Draco shrugged her off. Blaise wanted to laugh at his friend's expense, but caught the glare Draco shot at him.

"Merlin, Pansy, get the hell off! Some personal space if you wouldn't mind?" He continued to shove her off, deciding that his lunch was over. He needed to go back to the dorm to grab his books for DADA anyway. Pansy didn't let this faze her at all. She merely smiled what she thought was a seductive smile at Draco and winked at him. _She just won't give up. I knew it was a mistake to ask her to the Yule Ball._ He'd been paying for that mistake since his fourth year. Ever since then, she wouldn't leave him alone. Making a quick getaway, he hadn't noticed that Granger was doing the same.

The awkwardness at her table had finally gotten to Hermione, and she excused herself. Her first attempt at reconciliation with Ron had failed miserably. She gathered her things and left, deciding that she would just let things run their course. If he never spoke to her again, so be it, but she wasn't going to put herself through emotional stress because of him again. Once had been enough. She practically stormed out of the Great Hall, but paused quickly to keep from colliding with Malfoy again. He stopped also and let her through first, and the both of them walked in silence. Hermione decided to break the silence.

"Hey, Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, for earlier. I made it to class just in time." Malfoy shrugged.

"No problem, Granger." That broke the tension in the silence that had engulfed them until now. They settled into an easier silence, until Hermione spoke again.

"So...I guess you knew about that passageway because of last year, right?" Draco almost stopped walking, surprised that Granger had brought it up._ Why...?_ He simply nodded, unwilling to speak about it. His sixth year had been pure hell, something he didn't feel like talking, or even thinking, about. "I see. How many passageways do you know?" He thought she would have dropped the subject, but she simply kept going. Her tone was different, now, though, purely curious. She was honestly interested in knowing, and not because of what he'd used them for the previous year.

"Lots. I'm sure it's not all of them. The castle is much too large for me to have found them all, but I have a decent amount. For example, there's one from the seventh floor that takes you straight to the dungeons. And there's another one down this corridor that drops you off by the entrance hall. There are some pretty random ones, too, though. There was one by the Slytherin dorms that drops you off by a fourth floor bathroom. Another one takes you from a fifth floor corridor all the way to the grounds by the lake." Hermione listened intently, making a few mental notes. They had patrol duty that night, and she was interested in seeing them.

"Will you show them to me? We have patrol duty tonight anyway." Malfoy looked surprised, but he nodded anyway.

"Sure." Hermione smiled to herself. Having Malfoy around would be like having her own personal map of the school. She had a feeling that would be useful at some point, things had a way of working out, after all. Suddenly, Paris came to mind and she realized she hadn't thanked him for it. "I almost forgot, thanks for Paris, too. Even though I could have handled it myself." The last part she said somewhat jokingly. She honestly didn't know what would have happened in Malfoy hadn't stepped in. Then again, she wasn't going to admit to that, either, and thanking him just felt strange, so she had to turn it around.

"Is that so, Granger? From my vantage point, you looked the very part of a damsel in distress." He said this with an easy smirk on his face, joking back at her. "But don't worry, Granger, I won't speak a word of it to anyone." He chuckled slightly, knowing she'd been embarrassed by the whole situation, and was too proud to admit defeat.

"You better not, or I'll hex you into next week." She wasn't entirely serious, but she would follow up on the threat if need be. Malfoy registered this, but couldn't help retaliating.

"What makes you think you'd be able to take me on when you couldn't take on a few _muggles_?" He was smiling completely now, amused at how Granger scowled at him for that. They were both enjoying the argument, despite themselves. She caught the smile on his face, surprised to see it there.

Hermione had never seen him smiling before. The more time she spent watching him, the more human he seemed. He was showing her a side of him that anyone rarely saw, maybe not even his actual friends. "Just watch yourself, Malfoy." He simply nodded, keeping the smile on his face in place. By now they were standing before Olivia. Giving her the password, they walked in, gathering their books and walking out almost at the same time. Malfoy waited for her outside the portrait.

"Did you want to see one of the other passageways now? There's another one in the next corridor that drops off two rooms down from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom." Hermione nodded, and Malfoy led her down the corridor and to the right. The passageway he spoke of covered by a large portrait of a dragon. It roared loudly, breathing fire, and Hermione nearly jumped. Chuckling, Malfoy reached up and pet the dragon's tail. It reminded Hermione of the portrait covering the way to the kitchens. After one more roar, the dragon curled up and slept. As it slid over, the frame revealed a dark hall. When she walked in, a strange, dizzying feeling came over Hermione. The pit of her stomach did a flip, and she felt like she would get sick. The portrait reopened to the hall Malfoy had mentioned.

"Jeez, Malfoy, you didn't warn me what the passageway was _like_." She held her head, stumbling out of the portrait hole. It was another dragon, but this one seemed more tame than the first one.

"Sorry, Granger." He was chuckling again, but she shot him a glare that immediately quieted him. After stopping for a breather, she straightened up. "You alright?" She nodded and led the way down the hall to their DADA class. When they walked into the room, they saw that most of the seats were taken. Hermione watched as Harry shrugged apologetically, signaling at Ron, who had occupied the seat next to him. She smiled at him, and went to sit at an empty desk.

Draco saw that Blaise was sitting next to Neville Longbottom. He nearly stumbled in surprise at his friend's choice, because he definitely knew it hadn't been Longbottom's choice. He also gave his friend the same shrug he had seen Potter give Granger. Malfoy shrugged back, slightly confused but not really caring, until he saw that the only other available seat, other than the one next to Granger, was Pansy's. Blaise was sitting by the Gryffindor to avoid Pansy. Malfoy had to stifle a laugh, seeing the look on her face. She was sure Draco would choose to sit with her, since the only other option was Granger.

"Hey, Granger, mind if I sit here?" Surprising everyone in the class, he put his books down by Hermione. She was slightly shocked, not having thought that their almost friendship carried over into a class where he had fellow Slytherins to talk to. Moving her books over, she made room for his.

"Um, not at all. Go ahead." A look of relief came over him, so she looked around the class. _There has to be _some _reason why he's sitting...oh? There's an empty chair by Pansy Parkinson...why isn't he...?_ She turned to ask him. "Malfoy, why aren't you sitting with your girlfriend?" His head nearly snapped when it turned to look at her.

"Ugh, Granger, you think _Pansy_ is my girlfriend?" He shivered, "Hell no. Blaise and I try to avoid her like the plague." Hermione laughed, but neither of them got the opportunity to say more, as their professor walked in. There was a general gasp of surprise, as well as small cheers from the Gryffindors. Hermione beamed.

"Professor Lupin!" He smiled at them, greeting the class in a friendly manner. She looked over at Harry and Ron, but saw Ron with a somewhat disgruntled look on his face. That's when it registered in her mind. Lupin was sent by the Order to keep an eye on them, she was sure of it. After a brief introduction, he went right into the lesson, asking them to open their books to the chapter on the Patronus.

"This is a crucial spell that could be put to very good use, once learned effectively. A Patronus is mainly used to ward of Dementors, but can also be used as messengers or as shields against curses." He went on to explain the incantation. Hermione listened on, despite the fact that she was very successful at casting one already. She knew Harry and Ron were bored listening to him. After a few more minutes of explanation, he opened the floor to anyone who was willing to try. Hermione volunteered.

"_Expecto Patronum_." She watched as her otter flowed out in a white mist, and began floating around her. She smiled at Lupin, and he nodded approvingly. She knew he expected nothing short of the perfect Patronus from her, and she did not fail to live up to that expectation. She sat back down, and watched as one by one others volunteered.

Draco was impressed by Granger's Patronus. He knew she was good, but it couldn't have been the first time she ever cast one. She had practiced it on her own, and maybe even put it to practical use at some point. Yes, Draco was very impressed by it. He wondered if he'd be able to pull one off. Lupin had explained that you needed happy memories to create one, something Draco lacked. Yet he really wanted to give it a shot, but waited until the next person went. It was Pansy. She made a decent attempt, but she could barely create a wisp of the white mist. After trying again she'd managed to make a small sliver, and Lupin congratulated her. Draco volunteered next, to the surprise of everyone else in the room.

"_Expecto Patronum_." His voice was slightly unsure, but he gained some confidence when he managed to summon a small cloud. Smiling, he tried it again and managed to form the vague shape of something on four legs. Lupin congratulated him and when he sat down, so did Granger.

"That was really good for it being your first try. What were you thinking about?" He wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. His childhood didn't hold many happy memories, and those that were happy were of his mother. Thinking about her now only depressed him. His first attempt had been with thoughts of his mother, but the nagging depression held him back. His second try he had thought of something else. He had thought of that morning, and his joking exchange with her. Draco wouldn't admit this to anyone, though, especially not her. "I was thinking about my mother."

"Oh." Hermione had been looking at him curiously, but she pulled the curiosity back when she saw the sensitive look in his eyes at the mention of his mother. She could tell he missed her, and suddenly began to wonder when he had seen her last. Fortunately for both of them, the class ended, and the awkwardness was dispelled. She had Charms with the Hufflepuffs next and he had another free period. They parted ways without speaking, Draco headed to the dorm to grab his broom to practice for tryouts and Hermione bolting to Charms, unreasonably afraid of being late.

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_So...what did ya think? Like it, hate it...thoughts, comments, suggestions, anything at all, please put it in a review :) They're all very much appreciated!_

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	8. Taking Sides

_Here ya go, for your reading pleasure, Chapter 8!! Again, thanks for the reviews and suggestions! I'll try to keep everything in mind :)_

_I don't own anything...._

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Chapter 8: Taking Sides

Quidditch tryouts for the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams were the next day, so Draco decided he should brush up on his skills, even though he was captain of his team. It gave him the opportunity he needed to go to the Quidditch pitch to clear his head. He discovered flying was a good therapy that summer, even though he barely had the opportunity to do it. Despite this, or maybe because of it, flying was his escape for stress, from everything that could, and would, go wrong in his life. The small semblance of peace he'd managed to gather for the time being couldn't last. It never did for Draco. As he flew, feeling the wind whip past him, he imagined what it would be like to have a normal life, one of a teenager not directly involved in the war.

This wasn't something he could easily accomplish. His whole life had been consumed by his father's obsession with the Dark Lord and, in effect, the war raging in the wizarding world. He would listen to his father preach about how muggleborns and muggles were scum, not worthy of even being looked at by purebloods like them. According to his father, anyone who associated with a muggleborn or muggle was a blood traitor, the lowest of the low, next to muggleborns and squibs, in wizarding society. Draco had accepted this as the undeniable truth, never having had the chance to even see a muggleborn, let alone an actual muggle. By the time he'd come to Hogwarts, the belief was chiseled into his mind and not easily removed. When he'd first met Granger he thought she was a pureblood, and was completely shocked when he found out otherwise. In his mind, there was no way a muggleborn could be that smart or good at magic.

Whether he was willing to admit it or not, the first doubts in his beliefs came courtesy of Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of their age. He didn't dare speak a word of it to his father, but would once in a while voice his doubts to his mother. She came from a family that didn't associate with muggles or muggleborns, but they also didn't jump at the chance to join Voldemort. The Blacks were never that kind of family, and because of this she saw things somewhat differently from her husband. Yes, she was loyal to the Dark Lord, but only for the sake of her family. She had not joined of her own accord, but because she'd been expected to, as a Malfoy, not a Black. Therefore, his mother would never punish him for voicing his opinion, as Lucius surely would. She even somewhat nursed the thoughts evolving in his mind.

Of course, she was the only one that knew of his gradually changing a opinion. The process was slow, no doubt about it, but it was there, barely noticeable, but present. When he'd been assigned to murder Dumbledore, however, everything had changed. Simply remembering the day it happened was enough to drain Draco of any positive feeling.

_"Draco," he looked up from a book to see his mother standing at the doorway to his room, "the Dark Lord has a task for you." He didn't let it show, but apprehension immediately fell over him. His stomach was turning, and it was all he could do to keep himself from going paler than he was. He wasn't even marked. Why would the Dark Lord assign something to _him_?_

_"Yes, mother." He got up and followed her to the parlor, where he was surprised to find the Dark Lord waiting, with Pettigrew at his side. The Dark Lord never made house visits. This had to be extremely important if he had been willing to leave the safety of his lair. _

_"Young Mr. Malfoy, Draco, I have a very important mission for you." Draco bowed deeply, only rising again when the Dark Lord gave him permission._

_"Anything my lord." Even as he said it, Draco could feel himself cringing mentally. What if it was something he couldn't do? _

_"Due to your father's recent failure, I have decided to give you the task that would have been his." At the word 'his' the Dark Lord's voice hissed, making the hairs on the back of Draco's neck stand on end. "You are to kill Albus Dumbledore and find a way for my Death Eaters to infiltrate Hogwarts." Draco couldn't hide his surprise, or his fear. Not even the Dark Lord himself had been able to do it, __what made him think Draco could? Unfortunately, Draco answered in the only way he knew. Refusal was not an option._

_"As you wish, my lord." He bowed again, but not before catching the malicious sneer on the Dark Lord's face. In that moment, he knew he wasn't expected to succeed._

_"Good. And be warned, Draco. If you fail, your family will be punished. Severely." With that, the Dark Lord Apparated away, leaving Draco to tremble in his wake, his mother beginning to sob. The Dark Lord didn't only punish, he made examples of people._

After that, Draco's mind had been consumed by his need to succeed in his task, but his doubt was always there, and he knew Voldemort had expected him to fail. He always knew he would fail, even if the ultimate result was the same. Dumbledore was dead. The cabinet he'd used to transport the Death Eaters was destroyed, of course, but he'd succeeded in that as well. Despite this, Voldemort had still followed through on his threat. With a sigh, he leaned forward, making his broom speed up, trying to wipe the memories away, leaving them in his wake. He'd tried so hard to forget, to focus on other things, but ever since the night Dumbledore died all he saw was the man's face, twisted in agony as he suffered.

He hadn't realized how late it was. He didn't have any more classes for the rest of the day, and was suddenly glad for his easy schedule. Thankfully he only had two classes on Mondays, so he had plenty of time to relax. It was only three, and dinner wasn't for another hour and a half, so he decided to stay at the pitch for a while longer, venting out his emotions so he could clear his mind a bit.

Charms class had been one of the awkwardest times she'd ever spent with Harry and Ron. They spent the whole two hours in silence, something they'd never done before, listening to Flitwick explain the charm used to animate objects to move on their own. It reminded Hermione of Mrs. Weasley's house, and how she had the dishes wash themselves, and food cook itself as well. When it was time to try it, they were all given brooms to animate. Hermione got it right away, tucking the spell into her repertoire, knowing she would need it once she started living on her own. Ron had some trouble accomplishing the feat, once or twice forcing his broom to attack Harry's, which attacked back. Seeing all the brooms moving on their own kind of reminded Hermione of the mops in Fantasia. She couldn't help but smile, earning her a strange look from Ron but a similar smile from Harry. _At least he's acknowledging me now. _

Once Charms was over, however, things went back to what they were like before. Ron completely ignored her and even left Harry behind. Harry couldn't do anything but apologize for the redhead's behavior.

"I'm really sorry Hermione. You have to understand, though. With everything Malfoy's done, it's kind of hard to trust him." She sighed, frustrated that she had to explain it again.

"It isn't about trusting _him_, Harry, it's about trusting Dumbledore, McGonagall. Even me! That's why Dumbledore chose me to be the one to find out before either of you. I realize you two probably feel betrayed by the Order, but just look at how you reacted! Dumbledore and McGonagall were right in telling me first. We have a duty as Order members, Harry, and we can't let things get in the way of that."

"I know, which is why I'm indifferent about it. I _do _trust you Hermione, with my life! And I trust Dumbledore and McGonagall. They were completely right in picking you, but you should try to see how Ron sees it."

"I did, Harry. I did see it that way, but I was able to calm down long enough to let what I was told sink in. Ron needs to grow up and mature. We're not eleven years old anymore, and our world is no longer black and white! Gray areas exist, and they happen to contain people like Snape and Malfoy." Hermione sighed, satisfied with her explanation. If Harry managed to convey the message to Ron in a way he could understand, maybe their issues could resolve themselves.

"I know, Hermione. I'll see if I can get Ron to come around. I'm not guaranteeing anything, though." He smiled at her despite his words. He wanted nothing more than for his best friends to talk again. She smiled back.

"Thank you, Harry, for trusting me."

"Of course, 'Mione." He gave her a brief hug and walked away. She went in the opposite direction, towards her own dorm. Her mini-speech had drained her, and she now felt extremely tired, though she knew it was mostly emotional exhaustion. She decided to take a breather, relaxing her nerves on her way to the dorm. When she walked in she was surprised to find the book she'd left on the table with two papers sticking out of it instead of the one she'd left as a bookmark. Putting her bag on one of the chairs she picked the book up and opened to where the other paper was. On it were the initials _DM_. _Was this the book he was reading this morning? I had no idea. At least he has good taste in literature._ She smiled to herself when she saw that he'd left her bookmark in it. He was sharing it with her, which struck her as somewhat strange. After a few more moments she decided to take the book up to her room, reminding herself to leave it back on the desk before she left for dinner.

Walking into her room, she realized she was done with classes for the day, and could finally remove her cloak. It was stuffy, and the remaining summer heat still hadn't faded away. She sat by her window, immediately opening the book and continuing where she'd left off. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she saw a faint green figure out on the Quidditch pitch. The shocking blond hair immediately gave away who it was. _He must be out there practicing. _She watched as he flew, slightly jealous because of her inability to fly. It was the only thing she was unable to do, and it wasn't due to an entire lack of skill, but her fear of heights as well. She was mediocre, and her acrophobia didn't let her get any better

She watched his figure speed up into a dive, and tried to imagine what it would be like. Hermione knew she'd never be able to do it, but she couldn't help but wonder. Eventually she went back to her book, advancing a few more chapters before deciding to call it quits and head down for dinner. As she placed the book back on the desk, the portrait hole opened and Malfoy walked in. He was in his Quidditch robes, ready for tryouts. She greeted him in a friendly way, with a shy smile.

"How's the weather outside? I was thinking of watching the tryouts." She'd only just decided to do so in that instant. She didn't have any homework and it would give her a good excuse to watch him, Harry, and Ron on the pitch and make sure no one killed anyone else.

"It's alright, kind of hot though." _She's talking about the weather? No one talks about the weather unless they have something else on their mind._ Then the thought struck him. Draco was sure she wanted to be there for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on him, Potter, and Weasley. He nearly smirked. _Smart witch_.

She saw the expression on his face, and knew he had figured it out. Hermione had to give him some credit. He wasn't an entire idiot after all. Now that she thought about it, the only reason he wasn't number one in their class was because she had taken that spot the moment they'd walked into the school. "Alright. I guess I'd better go change then." She went up to her room again, taking her sweater vest off and changing into thinner socks, replacing her shoes with sneakers. She almost removed her shirt and just left the tank top on, but thought better of it, and instead just unbuttoned two of the top buttons, rolled up her sleeves, and loosened her tie. She bought an armstrap for her wand that summer, and decided now would be a good time for it. When she came out of her room again she found Malfoy waiting for her at the desk, book in hand. He put it down when he saw her, and they both walked out of the common room. It would seem they were going to make this a habit, walking to meals together when they could.

Draco was surprised at how Granger reemerged from her room. He had never seen her _that _casual in her uniform before. As seventh years, they were given the most freedom, and they could change out of uniform as soon as their last class was over. However, he was used to seeing her prim and proper, and he thought she frowned upon casually wearing their school clothes that way. Apparently he was wrong. She still wore her Head Girl badge too. After tying her hair back, she had led the way out of the room. When they walked into the Great Hall, Draco was pleased to see that he wasn't the only one surprised by Granger's appearance. Of course, she wasn't the only one dressed casually. Most of the sixth years were also casually dressed, and many who were going to the tryouts were dressed in sweats. _I guess it's just because it's _the _Hermione Granger._

Hermione took in everyone's reactions without giving them second thoughts. Being around her muggle friends all summer had allowed her to loosen up a bit, but she could see how it would come as a surprise to the other students. Even Ron and Harry were slightly shocked, but Ginny thought nothing of it.

"Nice look, 'Mione! Why haven't I ever thought of that?" She laughed at Ron and Harry's expressions.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, what has Malfoy _done _to you?" Ron momentarily forgot the silent treatment he was giving her.

"I'm glad to see you're talking to me again, Ronald." At the reminder, he shut his mouth, and went back to his food. Hermione saw Lavender next to him, and it would seem they were on the brink of getting back together.

"I take it you're going to watch the tryouts?" Hermione nodded at Harry, who was wearing his uniform, having been named captain again this year.

"Of course," she sat down and started to eat, "I don't have anything better to do. And I might as well make sure you boys play nice." The last part was said jokingly, even though she was completely serious. It did, however, provoke a laugh from Ginny. They ate in silence, with Ginny every once in a while talking about something that had happened that day in one of her classes. Harry and Ron finished their meals first, leaving Ginny and Hermione behind. Hermione noted how Lavender tagged along after Ron. She had to stifle a laugh.

"So, do tell Hermione, what _did_ he do to you?" She smiled suggestively, and Hermione nearly choked on her pumpkin juice.

"Nothing, Ginny! Jeez, I already told you, we're barely even friends."

"Suuuure. By the looks of it, the Slytherins don't think so." At that Hermione looked up to see a fuming Parkinson practically attacking Malfoy, Zabini merely laughing at the scene. There was too much noise in the hall for her to hear anything of what was being said, but she could tell, the dark haired girl was furious.

"_Drakey_," Pansy said in the whiniest, most annoying voice Draco ever heard, "why do you keep coming to meals with the mudblood? Last time I checked, _she_ wasn't your girlfriend."

"_Granger_ may not be my girlfriend, but the last time _I_ checked, neither were you." Again, she simply ignored most of what he said.

"She better not be!" Again she made the pouting three year old face. Draco did his best to ignore her, turning his back and directing his attention at Blaise.

"You know, Draco, that Granger really isn't hard on the eyes, not at all. I envy you, mate. You practically have her all to yourself, and you don't even want her."

"Shut up. I have more important things to worry about than Granger." Draco hated when Blaise got into his annoying moods, this being one of those times. "Besides, we're hardly friends."

"Uh huh, whatever, mate." Draco rolled his eyes, ignoring his friend. He finished his dinner and got up from the table, hoping Pansy wouldn't notice him. Blaise followed after him. They both cringed as they heard Pansy get up, too, flanked by a pair of fifth year girls. "I feel for you, mate." With a pat on the shoulder, Blaise ran ahead of Draco, leaving him behind for the sharks.

"Traitor..." He mumbled under his breath as he picked up his pace. Once he was outside the castle, he immediately mounted his broom and flew to the pitch. He laughed at the expression on Pansy's face when he took off. He got to the pitch at the same time as Potter and Weasley. _This will be __interesting._ "Hello Potter, Weasley."

"Malfoy." Potter responded somewhat politely.

"Ferret." Weasley made no attempt at civility, and Draco could see the look Potter gave him. He ignored the redhead, for now.

"I'll take the far side of the field for tryouts, Potter. You can have this side." Potter nodded, not really caring. "And Weasley? Try not to let _too_ many Quaffles through." Weasley's ears immediately went red, the desired effect, of course. Draco knew that normally something like that wouldn't have gotten to him as easily, but given the circumstances, Draco could _complement _him and the redhead would still take it offensively.

"Sod off, ferret." Draco faked a hurt expression.

"That stings, Weasley, it really does. Three years and you can't come up with something better?" Draco was somewhat disappointed at how easy this was. Taunting Weasley was usually more fun, but that was because Granger would be there to fight back. "You can't do much without Granger fighting your battles for you? Is that it?" That really hit a nerve, and Draco couldn't help but maintain his smirk.

"At least _I _didn't hide behind her skirts on the train, or when we arrived at Hogwarts. I'm not spineless like you, Malfoy." Draco felt his wand hand twitch. That affected him slightly, but not enough to provoke an actual reaction. "I'm not a coward who went in over his head in things he shouldn't have, and then came out begging for help with his tail between his legs." Draco clenched and unclenched his fist. He would _not_ react.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Draco narrowed his eyes, inside hoping Granger would show up before either one of them did something stupid. That side of him wasn't really dominant, though. His other side was whispering, _jinx him, hex him..._ "Shut up, before you make me do something I'll regret."

"What's the matter Malfoy? Was being a Death Eater too much, so you had to run away?" Potter saw that the last comment really did hit a nerve with Draco, and immediately tried to intervene.

"Alright, that's enough from both of you." He tried to step in, but Weasley wouldn't let him.

"No, Harry, Malfoy's all talk. When it comes to action he cowers behind a girl."

"Kind of like you've been doing this whole time at Hogwarts?" Weasley's entire face went red, and Draco could practically see sparks coming out of his ears. He clutched his wand, knowing it was only a matter of time before the redhead lost control. Sure enough, he pointed his wand at Draco's chest.

Hermione and Ginny were walking up to the pitch when they heard some of the exchange between Malfoy and Ron. Furious that they couldn't manage a few moments without fighting, The girls picked up their pace and reached them as soon as Ron pointed his wand. He was about to speak, and she saw that Malfoy was prepared to retaliate. _Oh no, you don't!_

"_Expeliarmus!_" Ron's face was utter shock when his wand flew away on its own. "Unbelievable! I can't leave the three of you alone for ten minutes or you try to kill each other. I could deduct house points from both of you for fighting. Ron, you'd get it worse for attempting to hex him."

"But Hermione, _he _started it."

"What are we, Weasley, three? And as I recall, you called me ferret first. Potter's my witness." Harry backed away, letting them continue the argument while preparing the equipment for the tryouts. The other students were starting to reach the pitch. Hermione noticed this, and decided to end the argument.

"I don't care _who _started it. I specifically told the both of you to be civil. If you won't follow it as advice from a fellow student, then consider it an _order_ from Dumbledore himself. Is that understood?" They were both shocked at Hermione's tone. The witch was angry, and annoyed at both of them. She stared them down, and they both slightly cowered at the sight of her angry glare. Ron mumbled what sounded like 'fine' and Malfoy simply nodded and walked away. Hermione could tell that Malfoy had lost whatever argument he'd had with Ron. Something Ron said had cut deep, but that didn't excuse the Slytherin from what he'd done. Ron, on the other hand, may have been defeated by Hermione, but he had an air of victory about him, a smug look on his face when Malfoy turned away. When Malfoy was a good distance away, Ron turned to Harry.

"You know I was right, Harry."

"You still shouldn't have called him a ferret. He wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't provoked him first." Ron looked at him skeptically.

"Yeah, right Harry."

"I'm serious Ron. He hasn't started anything with Hermione yet, has he? And he didn't say anything to me. Why? Because we're being civil."

"Well, I'm not about to be civil to a traitor."

"Whatever Ron." Harry walked away to start tryouts, while Hermione took in what both of them had just said.

"Ron, I can't believe you. I asked you to be civil. It was one simple request."

"But 'Mione-"

"No Ron. You should have known better, especially after I told you not to."

"I can't believe you're siding with _him_."

"I'm not siding with Malfoy, Ron. I've been saying this from the beginning: I'm following the orders I was given. You should do the same and just focus on school, like you're supposed to." With that Hermione turned and left an angry Ron behind. She went up to the stands, sitting on the Gryffindor side, while every once in a while glancing over at the Slytherins.

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_Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading/reviewing. Thoughts, comments, suggestions, anything at all, is much appreciated!_

_Thanks!_


	9. Confusion

_Thanks for all the awesome reviews! I hope you like this chapter..._

_We all know I don't own it...if I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction haha... :)_

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Chapter 9: Confusion

Hermione watched as the last few candidates for the teams walked away. Current members were still in the pitch, discussing the possible new additions. Bored of watching them, she left, but not before catching Malfoy's eye, mouthing him a warning.

"Watch it." She glared at him, but couldn't help the blush that developed when he smiled at her. It caught her completely off guard, and she did her best to hide it.

"Of course," he mouthed back. After nodding back at him, Hermione left the pitch, shooting Harry and Ron the same warning. The walk back to the dorm was calming, and she knew she needed it, because Malfoy would be getting an earful when he got back from the tryouts. Hermione tried not to think about it too much. When she reached the dorm, she decided to stay in the common room instead of her own room. That way, she wouldn't miss when Malfoy came in, and they had patrol duty that night anyway. She curled up on the couch, grabbing the book, and lighting the fire. Night had already fallen, and part of the reason why she went inside was due to a chill that had settled at the pitch. After a few minutes, she fell asleep.

When Draco left the pitch, he made sure to steer clear of Weasley. He nodded to Potter as he left, the Gryffindors going into the locker rooms. He opted to change in his own room, not willing to give Weasley a chance to provoke him, or vice versa. He knew what was waiting for him in the dorm, though. Draco was willing to bet anything that Granger would be ready with to lecture him. He knew he should have known better than to keep the argument going, but Weasley had hit a nerve. He really _didn't _know anything Draco had been through. With a sigh he stopped in front of the portrait hole, not willing to face Granger's fury. Not yet, anyway.

"You look nervous," Olivia said with a mischievous smile. "Afraid of what Ms. Granger is going to say? She looked pretty angry when she came through a little while ago."

"Thanks for the reminder." She simply beamed in response.

"Maybe you should apologize." Draco scoffed. He wasn't about to apologize for something that wasn't his fault.

"Why should I do that? It was stupid Weasley's fault."

"For the sake of maintaining at least a little peace? I don't think it matters whose fault it is. I believe Ms. Granger would appreciate an apology from either one of you." Draco ignored Olivia and merely gave her the password. The little girl shrugged and the portrait swung open. He walked in, bracing himself for what he knew was waiting. He was caught off guard, however, when he was greeted by the sound of soft breathing. He looked around, and almost missed Granger sleeping on the couch. She had the book they were sharing in her hand, about to drop it. Draco was tempted to rush upstairs to change and patrol by himself, just to postpone the lecture until the next morning. He knew it would only be worse if he did that, though.

He decided, instead, to watch her for a bit. She was completely unguarded, and he knew an unguarded Granger was a rare sight. She looked just like any other girl, really. Draco suddenly found it strange that Weasley had never done anything about his affections for her. It was obvious to the whole school, especially during their sixth year. Even Draco had noticed, despite everything that had been on his mind that year. He knew they treated her like just another friend, like 'one of the guys' and he realized the kind of patience it took on her part to stand being treated that way. Even Draco had treated her like just another guy, trading insults like he did with the Gryffindor boys. Never once did it cross his mind that she was a girl. He remembered the shock on everyone's faces, including his own, at the Yule Ball their fourth year. No one, not even her own friends, could see Granger as a regular girl. It was partially her fault, for having such a tough exterior and dedicating very little effort into being 'pretty.' Not that she really needed all that much.

But now that he looked at her, really looked at her, he saw that she was just as fragile as any other girl could be. He'd caught a glimpse of this Granger back in Paris, but had been too preoccupied to notice, and then the memory of Granger ever being fragile was all but erased the minute she stepped into their compartment. Gender wasn't an issue with her, as she had always spent more time with boys anyway, and she carried herself with a confidence that wasn't common in teenage girls. That was probably why Weasley sometimes forgot she _was _one, with insecurities and everything. As he watched her, Draco marveled at how well she hid this side of herself, almost as well as he hid himself.

A stray lock escaped her hair tie, and Draco couldn't help the instinct to brush it away. He leaned over her, gently brushing it back. When his skin made contact with her face, he stirred, and whatever trance he'd been in was broken. Draco practically jumped back, removing his hand as if he'd just touched fire. _What am I doing?_ He tried to shake the strange sensation from his mind. His fingertips were still tingling from the contact, the ghost of a touch on them. He could feel his heart slowing down, having sped up when he leaned over her to brush the lock back. _What's wrong with me?_

Hermione woke up to see Malfoy standing over her, a confused look on his face. He was just standing there, looking like he was lost. Before she could ask if he was feeling ok, however, the memory of what happened at the tryouts came back to her. She had a bone to pick with him.

"Is it safe to assume you didn't kill Ron after I left?" This seemed to snap him out of his confusion. Looking at her, a strange look came into his eyes.

"Of course," his voice was amused, and the smirk was in place again. "I don't pick fights, Granger. That's Weasley."

"I didn't ask if you _started_ a fight, Malfoy. I'm asking if you and Ron had another fight behind my back." She stood, not liking the feeling of having to crane her neck so much to see him. At least when she was standing he was only about a head taller than her. Crossing her arms in front of her, she fixed him with a scowl.

"Don't worry about it, Granger. We didn't fight again. As you can see," he motioned with his arms for her to look at how he was dressed, "I didn't even change in the locker rooms, specifically to keep myself from the temptation." Hermione watched him suspiciously. "Besides, you can ask Potter, I didn't do anything wrong."

"You don't have to tell me that. I _know_ Ron, remember? I completely expected him to provoke you, I just thought you would have at least just let it go."

"And pass up a chance to annoy Weasley? Not likely." He smirked at her again, watching her reaction. Hermione rolled her eyes, frustrated. _He's such an idiot. Can't he see I'm trying to help?_

"Malfoy, Dumbledore specifically said I need to keep the three of you from killing each other. I thought he was joking when he said something that drastic, but clearly I was wrong. And you know what? I may just look the other way next time and let Ron kill you, just so you're out of my hair. It's bad enough I'm babysitting the two of _them_."

"Please Granger, you know as well as anybody that Weasley doesn't stand a chance against me in a duel. I bet even if you weren't under orders to keep us civil you still would have intervened, for Weasley's sake." Hermione was taken aback by this. She knew he was right. Harry could hold his own against Malfoy, but Ron couldn't. Ron was too easy to provoke, too hotheaded. Because of this, Malfoy usually had the upper hand. However, Hermione couldn't help what she said next.

"Really, Malfoy? Because from where I was standing it looked like you were losing. You looked really upset at whatever it was Ron had used to taunt you, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't just his 'ferret' comment." Hermione had heard most of the argument after the mentioning of Malfoy hiding behind her skirts. As she made her way to them, she'd seen how upset Malfoy was getting at the mention of his assignment from the previous year. He hid it well, and maintained his composure, but Hermione had seen the way his hands clenched. He came close to losing control, she was sure of that. Out of control, he would have been just as rash as Ron. She was seeing some of that reaction in him now, as he looked away from her, turning his back.

"I didn't intervene for his sake, Malfoy. I intervened for yours. I get it, that you've seen things you wished you hadn't. Somewhere, deep inside, you regret at least a part of your past. If I hadn't intervened when I did, you would have been too blinded with anger and frustration to think straight, and would have done something you would regret later." He'd said so himself. Malfoy wasn't the cold, calculating person he'd once been. Hermione could tell that much, and she was sure Ron had the upper hand in that particular fight, even if it was only by a nearly insignificant margin. She watched Malfoy try to regain control. His shoulders had become tense, and she knew she'd won this argument. After a few moments, she spoke again. "Like I said before, Malfoy, I won't always be around to keep the three of you in line. I hope I can at least trust you not to provoke Ron, or let what he says get to you." She was glad she could trust Harry not to start anything, but that still wasn't enough. She needed at least two of the three of them to want to be civil.

"Fine, Granger. I'll try, but I can't make any promises. Maybe you should lecture Weasley next." Draco had regained some of his calm, and was surprised at what Granger said next.

"I would, if he listened half as well as you do." She sounded frustrated, and it only sunk in now how desperate she really was for the three of them to be civil. Granger had been assigned the duty of keeping peace among the three boys, and, just like anything else she set her mind to, she was determined to do the job, and do it well. Draco almost felt bad for her, at the pressure she'd been put under. He couldn't help the muttered apology that escaped his lips. "It doesn't matter now. Hopefully he'll come around eventually, he usually does. I don't know how long this will take, though, if he ever _does _come around. But, once that happens, I can finally begin to enjoy my time left as a student." Draco watched her tired expression, and it bothered him slightly that he was part of why she looked so defeated. She'd just won an argument and still looked like she'd lost. _Why do I feel sorry? I didn't do anything wrong! _He berated himself, but was cut short when Hermione mumbled a reminder about their patrol duty.

"Alright, I'm gonna go change and then we can go." Hermione nodded and watched him leave up the stairs. She sat back down again, surprised at how well that had gone. Of course, she'd known Ron had started it. Clearly Malfoy was making some effort, as small as it was, to follow what Hermione said. It struck her as odd, that _Malfoy _listened to her better than Ron. She figured she should have expected it, though, knowing that Malfoy thought things through better than Ron did. Besides, Malfoy had a lot more at stake than just his peace of mind. He was a refugee Death Eater, after all. He had to everything in his power to keep the Order's protection. Risking it by fighting with Ron was stupid, and Hermione was sure he was aware of that.

When Malfoy descended the stairs she noticed he wasn't in uniform, the only Hogwarts insignia being his Head Boy badge. Again it struck her as odd to see him dressed in muggle clothes, especially something so casual. He'd always been a somewhat formal dresser, from what she'd seen outside Hogwarts. He wore a pair of worn jeans and a hoodie, along with sneakers. He led the way out of the portrait hole, and Hermione realized she probably should have grabbed a hoodie as well. The night chill had seeped through the castle walls, and she tried to keep herself from shivering.

They walked in silence for about an hour, examining every corridor, empty classroom, and broom closet they came across. After two hours of patrol, they found a couple of fifth years, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw in one of the broom cupboards, after deducting twenty points from them each, they rushed them back to their dorms. Hermione had been appalled at what they had found them doing, but Malfoy merely laughed. She rolled her eyes at him, annoyed.

"I don't think we should have been so hard on them. Usually being caught in a broom closet means a fifteen point deduction, not twenty."

"Oh, I'm sure _you _would know all about that." It was a well known fact, even among Gryffindors, that Malfoy was very well known among the female population of the school. Hermione had been unable to sleep many a night from Parvati and Lavender's incessant gossip sessions. They would gush for hours upon hours about Malfoy, of all people.

"Oh really, Granger? And how would you know?"

"I have my sources." At this, Draco was intrigued.

"Do tell Granger. What do the Gryffindors say about me?" Hermione took this as an opportunity to gain the upper hand. She laughed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" That was the last of that conversation. After another half hour, Hermione remembered the passageways Malfoy had mentioned. "Didn't you say something about showing me some secret passageways?" Malfoy smirked.

"Why should I? You won't even share a bit of gossip with me." Hermione rolled her eyes. When she looked at him again, she saw the smile he was giving her. He wouldn't say anything unless she disclosed something that she'd heard.

"You're being very childish, Malfoy."

"And you're not? Oh, I understand. You don't want to tell me because _you _were one of the ones talking about me, weren't you?"

"Please, I would never willingly talk about you, let alone the kinds of things Parvati and Lavender would say." He raised an eyebrow at that. Draco knew who the two Gryffindors were. One was the girl with the twin in Ravenclaw, the other was Weasley's girlfriend from the previous year.

"And what _were _those things?" Hermione sighed, he really wasn't going to stop, was he? If she wanted to know any of the other secret passageways, she would have to say something. She'd always been disgusted at the two girls' conversations, and never thought she'd have to repeat any of it, but it would seem she didn't have a choice. She mumbled her response, unwilling to acknowledge the words she spoke. "I'm sorry, Granger, I didn't quite hear that."

"I said, they call you the Slytherin Sex God." Draco smirked triumphantly. It wasn't anything he didn't already know. Some of the girls from the other houses had said the same thing, and things have a way of getting around Hogwarts. He found it amusing, because his relationships were always blown out of proportion, especially by Pansy, who he was sure the nickname had come from. However, hearing it from a Gryffindor, and Granger of all people, was priceless. He smiled again, responding with what she had wanted to hear.

"The passageway to the grounds by the lake is a corridor over from here." He was still laughing at the slightly embarrassed look on Hermione's face, only making her go redder.

"Just shut up and show me." After a nod he led her over to a blank wall. He tapped on it in a faintly familiar pattern, and she realized it was very similar to the pattern to get into Diagon Alley. She watched the wall shift back and off to the side, revealing a dark tunnel.

"This isn't like the other passageways. Once you step foot inside, it's a slide down. It's one way only, and the outlet is pretty high off the ground, so watch when you land." Hermione nodded.

"Is there another one we can take back up?"

"The one from the seventh floor to the dungeons works both ways. We can take that one, if you don't mind having to walk a bit to get to it." She shrugged. After watching him slide down first, she slid down the passageway. It was actually kind of fun, and brought back memories of visiting parks when she was a child. She caught a glimpse of the lake through the outlet, and was surprised at the abrupt halt of slide. She'd been too busy reminiscing her childhood that she'd forgotten to prepare herself for the landing. Hermione hadn't even thought to try to slow down as she neared the end, and shot right out, and landed on top of Malfoy, who had moved a few feet away to give her room to land. Clearly, he'd miscalculated. They both groaned, landing with a dull thud. "Dammit Granger, I gave you a warning didn't I?"

Hermione couldn't help but stare at him, he'd closed his eyes on impact, but she'd kept them open, terrified that she would hit the ground. They were closer than Hermione had ever expected they would be. His arms had gone around her instinctively, or so she tried to convince herself. Her breath hitched, and she was momentarily paralyzed by the situation. _Why is my heart going so fast? Must be the adrenaline from the fall..._ She was finally able to move, but not before Malfoy opened his eyes, with a look she'd never seen in them. It was a strange mixture of the confusion she'd seen before, with something else. They stared at each other for a while, and she swore she could feel his heartbeat, going just as fast as hers. A part of her didn't want to get up. _Dammit, Hermione, snap out of it! _Hermione propped herself up with her arms, climbing off him, but unable to get up off the ground. She sat next to him as he lay there, unmoving. His eyes closed again, as if he were trying to regain some kind of composure. He was breathing faster, and she realized she must have hit him pretty hard when she fell. Hermione watched him, his chest rising and falling, embarrassed, but hoping he'd be ok. He groaned again, sitting up.

"Damn, Granger, you're heavier than you look." He coughed, dispelling any possible awkwardness that could have risen between them.

"Sorry about that, Malfoy. I got distracted." Standing up, he helped her stand, too. Looking up at him, she saw him wince. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just sore. I'll be fine tomorrow." They began to walk to the main entrance. The chill outside was even worse than what it had been when she'd left the Quidditch pitch. Hermione hugged herself, rubbing her arms to keep the chills away. Without warning, she heard the zipper on Malfoy's hoodie. He took it off, handing it to her. She stopped walking, looking at him with nothing but confusion. "Take it Granger, your shivering is getting annoying." His tone was harsh, but it didn't take away from his gesture. He was being deliberately nice. Hermione reluctantly took the hoodie, but not without noticing that he had only been wearing a wifebeater underneath. She saw the hairs on his arms stand on end from the chill in the air.

"Are you sure?" Draco was annoyed at her question. _If I wasn't sure I wouldn't have offered it in the first place._ He knew the dungeons would be near freezing compared to what it was like outside. He was used to the cold of the dungeons, his dorms having been down there, but he knew Granger wasn't. The Slytherin tried to convince himself that this was why he'd offered it to her.

"Yes, Granger, just take it." She slipped it on, her hands only just peeking out of the sleeves. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne, and again she felt herself blush.

"Thanks." They walked in silence the entire way to the dungeons, and Hermione was glad she had accepted the gesture; it was even colder below than it had been outside. After walking for about two minutes in the dungeons, Malfoy led her to another tapestry, this one with the Slytherin emblem on it. He swept it aside to reveal a large opening.

"This one is the same as the one we took to Defense Against the Dark Arts, so brace yourself." Hermione nodded. When they emerged on the seventh floor, Hermione was pleased to find that she wasn't feeling sick. They had arrived down the hall from the staircase that would take them to their common room. They walked to the portrait in silence, Olivia giving them a strange look before swinging open for them at the password. Once inside, awkwardness threatened to emerge, so Hermione quickly removed the hoodie. Handing it back to him, she thanked him again. "Don't mention it." With a shy smile, she headed up the stairs to her room.

Quickly she got ready for bed, trying to drive thoughts of the Slytherin Prince from her mind. _Don't read into it, Hermione. He was being civil. That's all. _With those thoughts to ward off others she didn't want, she fell asleep.

Downstairs, Draco was sitting at the couch, hoodie in hand. He tried hard to remember why it was he'd given it to her, but couldn't come up with an answer a part of him didn't dismiss. _Weasley would have had a fit if he'd seen us. _The thought made him laugh. Something had changed between them, but he didn't know what. Not only that, but he wasn't entirely sure he didn't like that change, or that he hadn't wanted it.

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_So....what did ya think??? Let me know with a review!!! Comments, suggestions, etc...y'know....:)_

_Thanks for reading/reviewing!_


	10. Gestures

_This story is going better than I imagined. It'll start to pick up a bit more after this chapter. :) _

_I don't own anything....so yeah...._

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Chapter 10: Gestures

_The pain was excruciating. Draco did his best not to cry out. Crying out was a sign of weakness, something he knew the Dark Lord wouldn't approve of. He needed to stay on his good side, if he had one, for the sake of his mother._

_After assigning him the duty of killing Dumbledore and infiltrating Hogwarts, the Dark Lord didn't call on the Malfoys again until a week before Draco was to board the Hogwarts Express. It was much like the first time he'd been summoned. Draco was in his room, writing down plans, doing research on Hogwarts, when his mother summoned him to the parlor. This time, however, Pettigrew was the only one there to greet him. He was to go visit the Dark Lord in his lair, a place Draco had never even dreamt of seeing, nor did he ever want to. They left almost as soon as the young Malfoy stepped into the parlor, not even giving him a chance to say a word to his mother._

_The lair of the Dark Lord was underground, as far as Draco could tell. It was dimly lit, and the Dark Lord sat in a large armchair, in front of a fire. There were no windows, no doors. It would seem the only way in or out was through Apparating._

_"Ah, Draco. Welcome to my home." Draco never could quite get used to the sound of the Dark Lord's voice. It would forever unnerve him, and send terrifying chills through his whole being._

_"I am honored to be here, my lord." He bowed low, doing his best to be obedient and subservient. Inside, he was shaking with a combination of terror and slight disgust._

_"You may rise Draco. You may be wondering why I called you here. I have called you to my lair so that I may brand you with the Mark. Show me your arm." Draco's heart faltered slightly. Only the Dark Lord's most dedicated Death Eaters were branded. This was supposed to be considered an honor. Draco had done nothing to 'merit' being branded. He rolled up his sleeve and exposed his arm. The Dark Lord muttered the branding curse, and Draco immediately felt his eyes water with the pain. A black snake began to mar his skin, and he could see the skull begin to form. Pain coursed through every fiber of his being, and he wanted to cry out, needed to cry out._

Hermione awoke to the sound of a scream. It was unlike anything she'd ever heard before. She was familiar with the sound of a scream, especially due to her previous life-threatening adventures with the boys. However, this was completely different. This wasn't a scream of fear, or pure pain, it was a scream of agony she'd never imagined could exist. Again she heard the crying out, and she realized it was coming from the other side of the wall, from Malfoy's room. In a panic, all she could think was that someone had found him, that somehow, like Harry, he might have been connected to Voldemort. Hermione didn't know how the Dark Mark worked. Even though he'd shown her his arms, and she caught a glimpse of more skin after he lent her his hoodie, she still wasn't entirely sure he didn't have it. Scared, she immediately ran out of bed, almost tripping in the dark. She was glad for the dull glow of the embers that still survived in the fireplace, lighting the hall. Pounding on Malfoy's door, she called out.

"Malfoy! Malfoy! Are you alright? Hey, answer me!" She kept hitting the door, her hand going sore after a while.

Inside, Draco was still in the depths of his nightmare, thrashing in the pain created by his memory, he barely heard Granger calling out to him. Her calling was muffled by the mahogany door, and somewhere, in the depths of his consciousness, he could hear her rattling the door. Suddenly, he sat up, wide awake. The rattling of his door had stopped, but he heard another mumble and his door clicked open. He saw the witch, worry written all over her face. In barely three strides she made her way to him.

"God, Malfoy you almost gave me a heart attack. Are you ok? Was it Voldemort?" He looked at her, confused. She looked him all over, even feeling his forehead. Was she genuinely worried, or only acting on orders? She sat by him, asking again, "Are you alright?" She placed her hand on his, which was clutching the bed sheet on his legs. He looked away from her.

"It was nothing. I'm fine. Just a nightmare." Hermione was taken aback by his answer. _Draco Malfoy...screaming due to nightmares?_ She found it hard to believe, but she would have to take his word for it. His hand was shaking, and it terrified her. She knew he was on the run from Voldemort, but she couldn't believe him to be so afraid. He had always seemed too cold to be scared, too uncaring. She was seeing a side of him that she was positive he never wanted anyone to see, least of all her. Hermione took in his appearance, and she realized he was drenched in cold sweat, his room freezing. She realized his window was open. He was shivering, too.

"Malfoy..." Hermione sighed his name, communicating that she sympathized. She felt his hand tighten into a fist beneath hers.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Granger." He looked up at her, and she was shocked by the single tear that ran down his cheek. Malfoy showed no other emotion but that tear. It could have been mistaken for a drop of sweat, if she hadn't seen it as it escaped his eye. There was anger and frustration in his voice, and Hermione wasn't sure if it was directed at her, or himself. She couldn't help the way her heart faltered a bit at seeing him like that, or the strange urge to wipe the tear away. It was the same as when she saw Harry or Ron upset. She felt terrible, and she knew there was nothing she could do to help, no matter how hard she tried. She gave in and brushed her thumb along his jaw as lightly as she could. They were both shocked by her gesture.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He shook his head, unable to speak. He regretted letting that teardrop slip through, even though he'd liked the way her thumb felt as she wiped it away. Draco hadn't been able to help it, though. It took all his strength not to sob outright. He remembered all those times he'd vented to Moaning Myrtle. He couldn't bring himself to do that in front of Granger, though. It was bad enough she had found him like this, like a terrified child. He observed her, the way she was acting. After looking over her once in the dim light, he came to the conclusion that she was truly worried. She hadn't even taken into account that she was hardly dressed. She was in a small tank top and tiny shorts. Granger hadn't even bothered to cover up and be her usual reserved self.

Hermione watched as Malfoy calmed down somewhat. She waited for more tears, but that had been the first and last. After a long silence the situation threatened to become awkward, as her actions sank in. She'd jumped out of her bed in hardly any clothes, and here she was currently sitting by a shirtless Malfoy, in _his_ bed. She slowly removed her hand from its place on his, and this caused a reaction in him. He tensed, as if realizing the same thing she had.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked, before standing from his bed. He simply nodded. As she began to stand, however, he caught her hand again, squeezing it slightly.

"Thank you, Granger." He gave her a faint smile.

"Any time, Malfoy." She smiled back at him. Before leaving his room, though, she walked over to his window. Closing it, she said, "Maybe you wouldn't be shivering if you didn't sleep with the window open." After a mumbled agreement and 'good night' she left. Draco watched her exit his room, closing the door. She had used _Alohamora _to gain access to his room. He lay back down, closing his eyes. He'd calmed down from the nightmare, but his heart was doing double time for a whole other reason. After a few deep breaths he regulated his heart beats, finally falling asleep.

The next day, Draco awoke before she did. He was determined to act as if nothing had happened, not in the mood to recount the events of the night before. After he was out of the bathroom, he knocked on her door.

"Hey, Granger, you better wake up now or you'll be late!" He heard the sound of rustling sheets and her feet padding on the carpet. He quickly pulled his uniform on, walking out into the common room as Granger left her room. Draco nearly smirked when he saw the small robe she wore. She'd been embarrassed the night before, and the thought somewhat amused him. He saw the pink tint in her cheeks, and knew she was remembering the same thing. After a nod in his direction, she closed the bathroom door. When she was done getting ready, he was at the desk, waiting to walk with her to breakfast. They emerged from the portrait hole in silence, some of the awkwardness from the night before beginning to creep up on them.

Hermione couldn't help but remember the distraught Malfoy she had seen the night before. In such a short time period, she had experienced so many of his different sides. He was far more complex than she could have imagined, and had issues she was sure he had yet to resolve. For some reason it brought their lesson on the Patronus to mind. He would never be able to form an actual animal if he didn't resolve his problems. She could tell, just by the look in his eyes, that he had too many bad memories to be outweighed by any good ones. It would seem his only good memories were ones of his mother. _Where is she, anyway? I wish I could ask him..._ She stole a glance at him, and he caught her eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"What, Granger? Staring at the Slytherin Sex God?" He was trying to lighten the mood, and, surprisingly enough, succeeded.

"You wish Malfoy." She scoffed, smiling at him. "I was actually wondering about today's Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Last class Lupin said we'd be working on Patronuses for the first two months of school. Harry taught me how to cast one, so I won't really have much to do but take notes. The practical part of the class will be pretty useless." She was hoping Lupin would allow her, Harry, and Ron to help the other students learn. Hermione wanted to help Malfoy, since it would perhaps give her more insight into his mind. Everything he did surprised her at this point, and she didn't like being surprised. His predictability was gone, something Hermione felt uncomfortable with.

"I see." He contemplated this for a while. She had a point. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. He wasn't going to voice it, but it was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "Well, Granger, would you like to help me with mine?" Her eyes widened, and Draco could tell she hadn't been expecting that. To tell the truth, neither had Draco. He knew Granger would jump at a chance to be educational, but he wasn't the type to ever ask for help. Ever.

"Of course, Malfoy. We could start today if you want, right after Potions." That day, Hermione only had two classes, Defense against the Dark Arts in the morning and Potions in the afternoon, both with the Slytherins. Malfoy nodded, the only sign that he had heard what she'd said. She was still somewhat surprised he'd ask for help. She had been about to offer him tutoring, but was caught completely off guard by his request. The rest of the way to the Great Hall was spent in silence, but it wasn't awkward or comfortable. Somewhere in between, Hermione couldn't help shooting a few glances at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking. It was quickly becoming a new obsession for her, Malfoy becoming the object of her study.

When they walked into the Great Hall they parted ways without a word, Malfoy simply nodding at her again. At the Gryffindor table, Ginny was the first to notice Hermione.

"You seem happy." Hermione hadn't realized she was smiling. Quickly recovering, she directed her smile at the younger witch.

"Yeah, I slept strangely well." Wiggling her eyebrows, Ginny gave her a suggestive look. Fortunately for Hermione, Ron was too busy with Lavender to notice it. Harry had been concentrating on reading the Daily Prophet. It was the only connection he'd had with the outside world since he'd been stuck at Grimmauld Place. After a while, he put the paper down, turning to speak to Hermione.

"So how's day two of living with Malfoy?" Harry was genuinely curious, concerned for the sanity of his friend. Hermione noticed Ron's slight shift in attention from whatever it was Lavender talked about.

"Not so bad actually. He listens to me better than Ron does, which is amusing." She shot a smile at Harry, knowing that comment stung Ron. She knew Ron was upset with Harry, though the two were still speaking. The rest of the meal was spent with idle chatter about Quidditch. Their first game was scheduled in October, against the Slytherins.

Draco watched Hermione's tense smile. He had observed her enough in the past two days to catch small gestures, gestures he didn't think anyone else but the Weasley girl could catch. Whatever it was that she'd said before the smile, it made her uncomfortable. It probably had to do with Weasley.

"You know Draco, it really is a shame you don't want Granger. I'd be happy to take her off your hands." He shot a glare at Blaise. That one phrase had been enough to inspire jealousy in him, and Blaise didn't miss the spark of anger in the blond's eyes. Chuckling, he continued, "But don't worry, mate, I know, deep down inside, you actually do want her." Blaise outright laughed at Draco's reaction. The young Malfoy's anger had become annoyance, instead.

"Shut up, Blaise." Draco couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto his lips, though. He looked away from the Gryffindors, directing his attention to Pansy, who had been trying to talk to him for the past ten minutes. If she hadn't been a girl, Draco would have bashed her face in by now. The annoying squeal of her voice just wouldn't stop. He wasn't even sure what she was talking about, only that he didn't care. "Pansy, would you please just shut up!" The witch simply ignored him, trying her 'seductive' smile again and trying to lean on his shoulder. Draco decided he'd had enough breakfast and left, taking the long way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

When he got there he was pleased to see several empty seats. He chose a seat up front, hoping that the proximity to the professor would ward off Pansy. Blaise walked in moments later and made eye contact with Draco. He was hoping Blaise would be his insurance against Pansy, but his friend seemed to have another idea. The dark haired boy made his way over to Longbottom. This shocked Draco, and he watched as Longbottom gave Blaise an uneasy smile, while the Slytherin patted him on the back. _Are they friends? That's just...weird. _After first year, Draco was pretty indifferent towards Longbottom, but he never would have thought of being friends with him. It seemed Blaise took the interhouse peace thing seriously.

Hermione walked into the DADA class, and saw that Malfoy was sitting by himself. She could hear Parkinson some distance behind her, prattling away. With a smirk, Hermione considered it would be amusing to give the Slytherin girl a chance to sit with Malfoy, but then thought about having to hear his whining afterwards. He looked up when she walked in, making eye contact immediately. He seemed to be asking her with his eyes to sit with him. _Or maybe it's just wishful thinking...what am I doing? _She saw that Harry and Ron were sitting together, leaving her to choose between sitting with Lavender and sitting with Malfoy. Before Parkinson could come in and beat her to it, Hermione immediately took her place at the front of the class with Malfoy. There was a collective gasp of shock in the room at this, and Parkinson all but shriek when she walked in a saw Hermione taking the seat.

There were murmurs going around in the class now, only stopped by the arrival of Professor Lupin. He initiated the class as usual, and they quickly jumped into practicing the Patronus again. After trying her Patronus and succeeding slightly more, Parkinson had a smug look on her face, daring the next volunteer to better her. Unfortunately for her, the next three volunteers were Harry, Ron, and Neville. All having been part of Dumbledore's Army, their Patronuses were perfect animals. Parkinson looked very downtrodden and outraged, completely taken aback by Neville's success. Hermione had to struggle to hold in her laughter at the look on the Slytherin's face.

Draco was secretly, or not so secretly according to Blaise, pleased that Granger had chosen to sit next to him. Of course that's what he'd really been aiming for, not to just avoid Pansy, but to have a seat with Granger again. At her request, Draco volunteered again towards the end of the class, producing a similar Patronus to the one he'd created last time. After a nod from Lupin and a small smile from Granger, he sat back down, just as class ended.

Lunch went the same as breakfast, with Pansy outraged at him for hanging around with Granger, and Blaise enjoying his opportunities to annoy Draco. Again, Draco opted to leave the meal early. With Hermione, her lunch went as awkward as ever, with Lavender telling everyone, Ginny included, that Hermione had chosen to sit with Draco Malfoy. Ron wasn't all that pleased at it, while Harry kept to himself about it, as usual. Ginny, however, beamed at Hermione, and spoke nonstop about it the entire meal. Hermione was tempted to leave the meal early, but she caught a glimpse of the blond Slytherin leaving the room. Knowing Ginny would catch the moment and use it against her, she decided to stay and brave the rest of Ginny's suggestions.

Hermione half expected to see Professor Snape walk into the class, but she'd known it was Slughorn who was back to teach this year. He greeted the class with a smile as everyone filed in. Hermione took her usual seat at the front, surprised to be followed by Malfoy. He was looking at the other side of the room with a smirk, and she followed his gaze to see Zabini with an upset look, the reason for it being Parkinson, sitting next to him and talking incessantly. By the looks of things, she was complaining. She held back a giggle at the sight, feeling somewhat bad for the Italian. From what she could tell, Parkinson was the Slytherin Lavender.

"Today, we will be brewing Veritaserum." He began to explain the potion, and gestured at the board, where he had all the ingredients listed, and the instructions. They got to work, at first silent except for the occasional request to pass an ingredient. It was beginning to get strange, when Malfoy spoke up.

"Granger, look." Hermione saw him gesture with his head towards the professor's desk. Confused, she followed what he was trying to show her. Slughorn was observing them in a way very unlike him. From what she remembered of the previous year, he would walk around and be encouraging. Now, he was simply sitting at his desk, watching like a hawk. It was kind of creepy. It reminded her of someone.

"You're kidding..._Snape_?" Malfoy nodded. "So he's using Polyjuice Potion...I hadn't thought of that."

"Yeah. Apparently, Slughorn is taking his place with the Order, while Snape remains at the school. I think he's doing a pretty good job of it, though, except for watching us like that." Hermione agreed. She should have known he would have continued teaching. It was, after all, the best way to keep an eye on Harry and make sure he wasn't up to anything.

The rest of the class went by uneventfully, except for Neville adding a wrong ingredient to his cauldron, causing the liquid inside to explode. Hermione immediately looked up, hoping Snape/Slughorn could contain himself from yelling at the poor boy. She could see his eye twitch, but he didn't lash out, simply instructed Neville on how to go about it properly, and helped reverse some of the damage. Hermione couldn't contain her smile and looked over to Malfoy, who was taken aback by it.

_She really does have a beautiful smile. _He smiled back, a real smile, unaware that he was doing it. Draco saw the slight shock on her face, but wasn't sure what had caused it. Then he realized what he was doing. He'd never fully smiled at anyone, except for his mother. It was understandable for it to catch her off-guard. He went back to his potion, putting it in a vial.

"You know, Malfoy, you should smile like that more often." Hermione wasn't sure what made her say it, just that it slipped out of her mouth unwillingly. She avoided eye contact as she said it. They both went up to hand in their potions, nodding at the professor.

"And why's that?" He shot a glance at her, watching her face go slightly pink. _Is she blushing?_

"It's a nice smile Malfoy." She tried to be flippant about the compliment. _What am I doing? Ron is probably behind us about to kill me._ Malfoy shrugged.

"I've never really had much to smile about." He said it with little gravity in his voice, more like a statement of fact, but it saddened Hermione. Material-wise, he had everything, yet his life had lacked so much.

"Oh. Well, hopefully that will begin to change." She smiled at him again, her heart skipping slightly at the smile he returned. Yes, she would definitely try to have him smile more often._ If anything, it may help with his Patronus. _

Again, Draco didn't really understand what was happening between them, only that he could practically feel the daggers he was sure Weasley was shooting at him.

* * *

_Well, what did you think? Comments, suggestions...you know..._

_Thanks for reading/reviewing!!_


	11. Planning

_Sorry for the wait....here's #11....waits may get longer from here on out...I just started college, so I won't have as much free time as I did before..._

_Thanks!!!_

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Chapter 11: Planning

"So you know how it works, pick a happy memory, the best one you can find, and concentrate as hard as you can." _Easier said than done_. Draco looked at the witch before him smiling encouragingly. He was beginning to regret having asked her to tutor him. She was a bit too enthusiastic. He watched her demonstrate with her Patronus. The Slytherin couldn't help his curiosity.

"So tell me, Granger. What memory do you use?" Hermione was caught off guard. She never really used just one memory. It was more of a compilation of several. She thought about which one stood out the most. Then it clicked in her mind. The day Harry and Ron had saved her from the troll, the day the Golden Trio was formed.

"You remember the troll in the dungeon from our first year?" He nodded. "Well, I was in the girl's bathroom, crying over something Ron had said. This was before we were friends, and he'd made fun of me for being a know-it-all. Somehow the troll made its way to the bathroom and trapped me there. Ron and Harry noticed that I wasn't at dinner, and they went to look for me. They ended up saving me from the troll. I guess you could say that's the day when the Golden Trio was made official."

"They fought off the troll? You're kidding." Hermione shook her head, proud of Harry and Ron. She always smiled at the memory.

"Not at all. They really did find me and knock the troll out." Malfoy looked taken aback. It would seem a new respect for the boys was forming. "But, anyway, that's the kind of memory I use, though I don't always use the same one. That's the one that stands out the most, though." She paused for a moment, thinking of how to word what she wanted to say next. Hermione wanted him to talk to her about his memories. Maybe that would help. "When you form your current Patronus, what memory do you use?" He seemed uneasy at her question, but she didn't take it back. If they were going to perfect his Patronus, she would need to know how he's starting.

"It's not just one memory, it's the memory of my mother." Hermione didn't like the way he'd said that. _Did she...?_ "I didn't have the best childhood. My father was always forcing his ideas on me, and I was molded into a mini Death Eater. He was never the kindest father either. My mother was my only solace. She never wanted me to be a Death Eater." The more he spoke, the sadder his voice became. She didn't like where this was going. It had been difficult enough to accept the terrified Malfoy from the nightmares, she didn't think she could handle a depressed one. It seemed he couldn't stop talking about it once he'd started, though, and Hermione wasn't willing to stop him. "When Voldemort called on me for that assignment, she was heartbroken. It was a punishment for my father's actions. He threatened with making my family pay if I failed, too. He meant for me to fail, which I pretty much did, had it not been for Dumbledore's actual orders to Snape." She could see the tears starting. They were both suddenly very glad they'd chosen the Room of Requirement to practice in. He moved over to a chair, and Hermione followed, keeping her chair close to his. Malfoy's voice had become a whisper. "He killed her. I don't know what he did to my father, but he killed my mother."

Hermione's heart broke at his words. Voldemort had taken his mother from him, the one person that made him happy. She could see the tears threatening to fall, and she could feel tears in her own eyes. Seeing him this way was too much. The young witch blinked tears back, "I'm so sorry." Her voice was shaking. She placed her hand on his again, squeezing it tightly. He looked up at her, having been staring at the floor the entire time. Malfoy's eyes betrayed his surprise at seeing tears in hers. She blinked a few more times, some of the drops escaping and sliding down her cheek.

"There's nothing anyone could have done. It was all my fault," he said, as he brushed the stray tears from her face. Hermione was more shocked at his words than his actions. She held his hand tighter, and he moved it to hold hers, too.

"It _wasn't_ your fault! There was nothing you could have done about it. You said so yourself, he meant you to fail. That monster would have found another excuse to do it." He looked away, stubborn and unwilling to accept what she told him. Draco had spent the past few months beating himself for what had happened. It was his fault the greatest wizard of their time was dead, and it was his fault his mother had died. Suddenly, he felt her small hand on his cheek, and he could do nothing but let it turn his face to look at her. "Listen to me. It was _not_ your fault. Voldemort is a monster, and that's all there is to it. Do you understand that?" He wanted to speak, but his breath had caught when she'd touched him, and his heart was pounding from the contact. He closed his eyes, trying to take in what she'd said. After letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, he opened them again.

"Thank you. That's two times, now, isn't it?" He gave her a sad smile, but was glad when she returned it.

"Don't mention it." After a deep breath, she continued, "You have to focus on letting the memory of your mother be a good one, not one that causes you sadness. I'm sure she would want to be remembered in a way that makes you happy." Malfoy nodded, and she could see a different spark in his eyes. They stood at the same time, and she realized he was still holding her hand. She was reluctant to let go, but he realized it at the same time. She pulled her hand away gently, hesitating, and she could feel him doing the same thing. Trying to bring the focus back to the Patronus, she said, "Ok. Try again."

"_Expecto Patronum._" His Patronus was at least four times brighter than the one he'd created in class. Its outline was much sharper now, as well. They still couldn't tell what animal it was, but there was a definite improvement, and in such little time. Hermione couldn't contain herself, she beamed. Unsure of how to congratulate him, she hugged him, deciding to get it over with before she lost her nerve. To her surprise, he hugged her back, even if it was with just one arm.

"That was great, Draco!" They were both taken aback completely by her use of his given name.

"Draco?" He looked at her, slight confusion written on his features.

"Oh, sorry...it just felt kind of natural to call you by your name, you know, since we're friends now and everything... You don't mind, do you? I could call you Malfoy again..." Her words were rushed, and he could tell she was nervous. Hermione Granger never stumbled or rushed through her words.

"No, no I don't mind." They pulled away from the hug, Hermione realizing that she'd done something slightly awkward. "That means I get to call you Hermione." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help how the way he said her name made her blush, or how his smile put her at ease.

"Alright, then. I guess we should probably be heading to dinner." With a nod, they both walked out of the room, heading down to dinner. Without realizing it, Hermione walked to her table with a smile on her face. Ginny gave her a mischievous look.

"So Hermione, where were you? Didn't you only have one afternoon class?" Hermione shot her friend a look, but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"I was helping Draco with his Patronus." Ron nearly choked on his pumpkin juice. Harry had a similar reaction, but not as drastic. Ginny simply nodded.

"Since when is he 'Draco'?" Harry's voice was surprised. He wasn't angry, though, which was a relief to Hermione. He was simply curious.

"We had a heart to heart-" Ron interrupted before she could continue.

"More like a mouth to mouth, if you ask me." He surprised everyone within earshot. Hermione, needless to say, was extremely angry. Harry winced at his friend's mistake, and Ginny looked like she would kill him herself.

"Ronald Weasley that was completely uncalled for! You're such a pig!" Ginny's tone was exactly like her mother's.

"Uncalled for? You know I'm right Ginny. Next thing we know she'll be calling him Drakey-poo!"

"Unlike you, Ronald, Hermione isn't a hormone driven animal! And she's nothing like _Lav-lav_, _Won-won_."

"That's enough!" Hermione stood, sick of the two of them fighting. "Ginny, I appreciate you standing up for me, but I can do that myself. As for you," she shifted her gaze at Ron, "you're lucky there are teachers watching us." She sat back down, watching as Lavender whispered something in his ear and they both left. Hermione let out a sigh. She hated fighting with him. Harry shot her an apologetic look, and she offered him a faint smile. Ginny put an arm around her.

"Don't mind him Hermione. He may be my brother, but he's an idiot. His stupidity cost him a possible relationship with you, and now it's costing him your friendship." Hermione didn't bother saying anything. Ginny was right. Looking down at her plate, she moved her food around with her fork, suddenly losing her appetite.

Draco saw everything from his seat at the Slytherin table. The two redheads were yelling at each other, and it reached the whole hall.

"I think that's about you, mate." Blaise snickered at the 'Drakey-poo' comment, knowing how much his friend hated when Pansy called him that. Draco winced at the look on Hermione's face when Weasley walked out of the hall. It really did take a lot out of her to fight with him. He wanted so badly to be the one to comfort her, envying the Weasley girl. The urge to follow the redhead out of the hall was tempting Draco, but he knew Hermione wouldn't approve of him attacking Weasley.

"Whatever."

"She looks really upset. That Weasley gets pissed for anything, doesn't he?" Draco simply nodded. All he could do was watch the witch across the room, and he noticed she wasn't eating. Was she really that upset? He watched as the youngest Weasley kept talking to her, wishing he could hear what she was saying.

Hermione couldn't help the way her throat closed up. Ron was one of her closest friends, and he couldn't even be civil with her because she was getting along with Draco. She shuddered a sigh, finally deciding to try to eat.

Things didn't change very much as time passed and September became October. Ron still wouldn't talk to Hermione, reaching an all new low, in Draco's opinion. He watched as day in and day out the redhead made her miserable. She would be ok until meal times, knowing she would have to sit at the Gryffindor table and bear him ignoring her. It was better than making rude comments at her, at least. Even McGonagall had noticed the tension in the Golden Trio, and inquired to Hermione about it. The younger witch had shrugged it off, saying everything would blow over soon enough. She still held out hope for Ron. She just couldn't believe he could really be that heartless.

Her tutoring sessions with Draco had improved as well, but a full Patronus still somehow eluded him. They couldn't figure out why. Well, _Hermione _couldn't figure out why. Draco knew exactly what was holding him back, yet he was damned if he would admit it to anyone. His pride was getting in the way, because he couldn't help but hide what small feelings he held for Hermione. They were good friends by mid October, and he felt comfortable around her. That was the problem. He wasn't willing to let himself become vulnerable. He wasn't willing to let his memories of Hermione be the fuel behind his Patronus. It was too good to be true, and he was bracing himself for the moment when it would end, as all good things eventually did, in his mind.

McGonagall had approached them in early October, requesting that they organize an event for Halloween. Hermione and Draco had rallied the Prefects together for brainstorming, and after much debating, they finally came to a decision. They would have a masquerade ball.

"Great! It's settled then. Hufflepuffs, you're in charge of decoration, Ravenclaws will do the ambiance spells, Slytherins take care of music, and Gryffindors will pick the menu." They all seemed fine with Hermione's decision, even somewhat glad that the preparation required very little mingling. However, McGonagall had specifically asked the Head Boy and Head Girl to use the event to promote interhouse unity, so Hermione still had to come up with a way to do that. The ball was not announced yet, and the Prefects weren't allowed to speak a word of it until McGonagall made the formal announcement.

Hermione and Draco were sitting in their common room. They'd picked up the habit of sitting together after classes, when Draco didn't have practice, to read. They would sometimes get into small debates, arguing over petty things, as they no longer seriously argued. Hermione had to admit, she missed the serious verbal battles just a bit. It kept her wits sharp. They were reading quietly, when Draco's head shot up, with an idea for the ball.

"What if we make them wear each other's colors? You know, make the Slytherins wear Gryffindor colors and vice versa? I'm sure that would annoy the hell out of Pansy _and _Weasley." He snickered at the redhead's name.

"No, that's not...big enough. It wouldn't really force them to mingle or anything...that's it!" She stood, proud of herself for figuring it out before Draco. "We'll make them have to go with dates from other houses! No one will be allowed to have a date from their own house. It's perfect." She beamed, suddenly making Draco nervous. He saw her point, though.

"That's brilliant, _and _it'll make Weasley furious. I can't wait to see the look on his face..."

"I didn't say it with him in mind." Hermione laughed nonetheless. The look on his face would be funny, but she wondered more about Draco's reaction, if she told him she wanted to go with _him_. She couldn't deny her crush on the blond haired Slytherin, but she wasn't sure if she should pursue it, considering her past luck with boys. Hermione was so distracted by her thoughts she hadn't noticed Draco get up. He was saying something, but she hadn't caught it. "I'm sorry, what? I was dazed for a second."

"I said, we should let McGonagall know now. That way she can announce it a breakfast tomorrow before Hogsmeade." Hermione nodded. The next day was their first Hogsmeade weekend, and it would be a perfect opportunity to get any shopping done. They walked out of the portrait hole, Draco leading the way down the hall to another one of his secret passages. The entire first month and a half of school had been spent trading Patronus lessons for his secret passageways. When they arrived at the office, McGonagall had been conversing with Slughorn, or Snape rather. When he wasn't around students, he let his facade fall, and it was strange to see the man's cheery face in the permanent Snape scowl. They spent barely five minutes in the office, simply getting approval for the idea. Snape/Slughorn's brows rose, and McGonagall gave them a happy smile.

The next day at breakfast, there was an uproar among the students. Draco found it amusing. As soon as the announcement was made, and the one rule about dates, the complaining began.

"_Drakey! _How could you allow that? Now we won't be able to go together." She had on the strangest combination of a sad and angry look that Draco had ever seen. Her voice became shrill and annoying. Blaise, on the other hand, seemed pleased with the decision.

"Mate, you just saved all us Slytherins from having to deal with Pansy after you turn her down for the dance." Draco smirked, glad his friend had caught on to part of the reason he had agreed to it. The other part had everything to do with finding an excuse to go with Hermione. The again, Blaise had probably figured that out too.

Hermione winced at the reaction of the student body. She knew it would be bad, but she had no idea how bad. _They're just going to have to deal with it, like I did with Draco._ She laughed. Ron's reaction still hadn't stopped.

"You did this on purpose Hermione! I _know _you did."

"Well, of course Ronald, because my world revolves around you, right? I didn't have interhouse unity in mind or anything." She rolled her eyes, tired of dealing with him. She did, however, turn over to Harry and Ginny. "I'm sorry guys. I know you would've gone together."

"No sweat, 'Mione. It's not like we can't still dance together." He turned to the Ravenclaw table, "Hey, Luna! Wanna go to the ball together?" Luna turned her head to the group, looking dreamily at them, her permanent daydream in her eyes.

"Of course Harry!" It made sense. Luna and Ginny were good friends, after all. That's when Ginny surprised even Hermione by who she chose as a date. She stood up, calling across the hall.

"Oy! Zabini! The ball?" He looked taken aback, but simply nodded. Harry wasn't fazed at all, and nodded at the Slytherin boy.

"That's...strange. So, Draco, who are you taking?" Draco was still a bit shocked at what the young Weasley did. Her brother must hate her for it. A whole new respect for the girl started to form in him. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Blaise's question.

"I don't know yet." Draco knew what he _wanted_ to do, but whether he did it or not was a matter of its own. He looked over at Hermione, catching her eyes. She must have seen something in his face, because her face reddened some, and she looked away. He smiled, liking that he was the only one who could catch those tiny gestures. He kept watching her, wondering how she would react if he asked. Her face looked contemplative, as if she were thinking over a particularly difficult task. Draco watched as she bit her bottom lip nervously.

"You sure about that, mate? It looks like you know exactly who you're taking, if you ask me." Blaise smirked, laughing at the expression on his friend's face. Draco quickly looked away from her, meeting his housemate's eyes.

"No one asked, Blaise." At that the dark haired boy laughed, patting his friend on the back.

"You might want to get a move on. There's no Krum to take her this time, and I'm pretty sure the other guys aren't willing to overlook her again." At that, Draco looked around the room. Blaise was right. Several of the other boys, the ones in Ravenclaw especially, were eying her. A flare of jealousy erupted in him, and he was relieved when he saw her stand and leave the room, none of the others following her. Then he remembered the Hogsmeade trip. People would start leaving right after breakfast. He got up, mumbling something about not being hungry anymore.

He walked out of the Great Hall slowly, but as soon as he caught sight of Hermione in the hallway he ran to catch up with her.

"Hey, Draco. So how did Zabini take being asked by Ginny?" The Slytherin shrugged.

"He doesn't really care. If she didn't ask him, he would have most likely gone alone anyway." Hermione nodded in understanding. She wondered why he'd run to catch up with her. Having heard him coming, she had slowed her pace down. "So, what are your plans for Hogsmeade?" The young witch was taken aback by the question, having hoped he would ask a different one.

"Probably going to buy my dress and mask. I usually go with Harry, Ron, and Ginny, but seeing as Ron isn't speaking to me, I was thinking of going by myself. Ginny will want Harry's opinion in buying her dress, and Ron will go where Harry goes. Then that means Lavender tagging along. Not how I planned to spend my first Hogsmeade weekend, to tell you the truth." By then they were already in the common room, and Hermione was about to go upstairs. "What about you?"

"Don't have much of a choice, really. I have to buy new dress robes and a mask, as well." He paused for a bit, watching her hesitate slightly before starting to walk up the stairs to her room. "Hermione," she stopped, "would you mind if we went to Hogsmeade together?" She smiled at him.

"Just let me change and I'll be right out." Draco nodded back, and he, too, decided to change his clothes. Neither of them felt like walking around Hogsmeade in uniform. Hermione busied herself in her room, a strange excitement bubbling inside her. _Maybe, just maybe, he'll ask about the ball, as well. Then again, this might still just be him being civil._ She couldn't help it as the thought crept into her mind. She quickly changed into a cozy, formfitting, gray sweater and a pair of black jeans with matching boots. Placing the Gryffindor scarf around her neck and grabbing her wallet, she walked out of the room. She met Draco in the common room, and realized he had also changed clothes. He wore a dark blue turtleneck with a light, black leather jacket over it. His jeans, unlike hers, were regular blue, but he also wore a pair of black boots. He'd also chosen to wear his house's scarf.

He couldn't help the smile that broke out over his features when he saw her. Something about her in casual clothes just seemed _right_ to him. If he'd met her outside of Hogwarts, he probably wouldn't have given her blood status a second thought. She was a regular girl when she was out of uniform, and it struck Draco just how large an impact this made on him. He was brought out of his thoughts when he noticed her returning the smile. They walked out of the portrait hole in silence, and Hermione couldn't help but be astonished at how easy it was to be comfortable around him. Months before she'd hated him with a passion for what he'd done. Now, it was difficult to muster those memories. She didn't want to hate him, she realized that, but a part of her also knew she shouldn't like him _too _much either. He was a pureblood, she was muggleborn. Even if their blood statuses didn't matter to them, the most they could ever be was friends.

"What's wrong?" They were walking down to the village now, having already passed the gates. Her head snapped up, registering the concerned look on his face. He'd seen how her face had gone from a smile to a gradual frown. When she looked up, her expression changed to one of surprise.

"Oh? It's nothing." He watched her speculatively. _What is she thinking that upset her like that? _Hermione didn't mention anything more, and Draco couldn't help but feel uneasy, and just a bit paranoid. _What if it was about me? What if she doesn't want me to ask her to the masquerade?_ If Blaise heard his thoughts in that moment, he would have had a field day. The great Slytherin Prince was nervous about asking a girl to a dance. They walked in silence, the cool fall air surrounding them. Down the road they could see a few other Hogwarts students, Luna among them. She was probably on her way to meet Potter and the Weasleys. Draco didn't feel like acknowledging Lavender Brown, seeing her as another Pansy.

They went to the dress robe shop first, deciding that it would be easier for Draco to get his shopping done first. The tailor took his measurements, and they were out of the store in minutes, after Draco picked a simple design similar to the one he wore to the Yule Ball. Shopping for Hermione would take a while longer. They entered the dress shop, and Hermione made her way to where she knew the less expensive dresses were. Draco had forgotten that she didn't have the money he had. Thankfully, his mother had opened his own account in Gringotts before the whole ordeal of the previous year.

"Do you mind if I suggest a few dresses?" Hermione was surprised by his offer, but she allowed him to, anyway. She browsed through the different styles, picking out two or three she liked. She let Draco know she was going into a fitting room, and went to try the dresses. All of them were gorgeous, but the first one poofed out too much, the second one, a yellow one, made her look like a highlighter, and the last one constricted her breathing. She was about to dress when an attendant handed her another dress, saying it was one of Draco's suggestions. She had to admit, the Slytherin had very good taste. The dress was a strapless, long gown, the hem slightly touching the floor. Hermione had never felt such amazingly soft material in her life. It was a perfectly smooth, black layer of silk over a layer of white, which could be seen through a slit in the black material that went from the hem to her waist.

While the slit was placed on her right, a trail of vine-like designs were on the left. The design was in white, traced by glittering stones, starting at about the knee and going up above the bust of the dress. The dress took her breath away, its simplicity and beauty overtaking her. _There's no way I can do this dress justice._ She didn't even want to think of how much it would cost.

"Can I see?" She heard his voice float over to her from the other side of the door. Nervous, she walked out, avoiding eye contact. "Wow..." The word was barely a breath, and Hermione strained to hear it. It gave her the courage to look at him, though.

Draco took in the image before him. The dress was amazing by itself, but with Hermione in it...It was everything he could do to keep himself from letting his jaw drop. It framed her perfectly, clinging to all the right curves. He would do everything in his power for her to wear that dress to the masquerade, even if she wasn't _his_ date. He had to give it a try, though. Maybe she would say yes.

"Um...Draco?" He hadn't realized he'd been staring. She watched him self-consciously, but slightly proud at his small exclamation.

"Hermione, you should take this dress. You look..." He couldn't even find the words to describe her. "Just take the dress." She blushed. Clearly, he liked the dress, but there was no way she could afford it.

"Draco, it's a beautiful dress, but I can't afford it." Without a second thought he responded.

"I'll buy it." Her eyes widened. _He can't be serious..._

"I can't let you do that!" She spoke as she went back to take the dress off. In moments she was carrying the dress out, about to hand it to the attendant. Draco swiftly took it from her hands. "What are you doing?!"

"Whether you like it or not, I'm buying you this dress." She felt the blush creep onto her cheeks. Still, she couldn't let him do that. He wasn't even her date to the masquerade. He set the dress on the counter, taking money out of his wallet. Draco was counting when Hermione placed her hand on his.

"You don't have to do this, I could get another dress."

"No, you are getting this one. Consider it an early Christmas gift." Draco flashed her a smile, and she couldn't help but smile back. She felt terrible for him buying her the dress, though. Draco detected her unease. She had looked down in defeat after returning his smile. "Hermione," she looked up, "I _want _to give you this dress, ok? In the little time we've been friends, I've done nothing for you but cause trouble and you've done nothing but help me. Please. Let me buy you this dress." Hermione couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face.

"I have a feeling that even if I say no, you'll buy it anyway." He gave her his trademark smirk and handed the clerk the money. She didn't know what to say. He even carried it back for her. He went through all the trouble of _buying_ her the dress, and yet he still didn't make any inclination to ask her to go with him. By the time they left the store, it was lunch time. "Ok. Since you bought my dress, I'll buy us lunch." Draco didn't object. "And let me carry the dress." After shooting him a playful glare, he gave in. They walked into the nearest place, The Three Broomsticks. Hermione made sure to keep her eye on Draco, not even letting him glance at his wallet. Just then, Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Blaise walked in. They were talking with ease, as if they'd known each other for years. Hermione waved them over, glad to see Ron wasn't among them.

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_Thanks for reading & reviewing!!! Please leave comments, they make me happy :)_

_next chap will be up asap._


	12. Masquerade

_GASP! I know...It's been some time now....I'm trying to pry some time between classes to punch out this story lol....sometimes I'm tempted to procrastinate!!! Bad RS, bad! Anyway...here's some more dramione goodness for ya!! Thanks for the patience!!_

_Don't own it....we all know it._

_p.s.- Excuse any grammatical errors....I was too tired to check it over :)_

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Chapter 12: Masquerade

"He did what?!" They were back in Hogwarts, eating dinner, when Hermione told Ginny about the dress. The rest of the afternoon was spent just walking around in a large group, Draco making a solid attempt, through Blaise, at being civil, and even friendly with Harry. Ginny was surprised enough at that, but this completely shook her.

"Yeah, and I don't know why. He just pretty much snatched it from my hands and paid for it." The redhead looked at her friend with wide eyes. Hermione was glad she'd waited until the boys had left to tell Ginny. Now, all the redhead could do was gape at her, every now and again looking over at the Slytherin table. Hermione couldn't help but hope it was a sign that he wanted to take her. _Why hasn't he asked yet?_ She had hoped that Ginny would help her think it through.

"Hermione, he clearly wants to take you. I bet he's just nervous." She was taken aback.

"Nervous?"

"Yes, 'Mione, even the Slytherin Sex God gets nervous." They both laughed at that, looking over to the table again. There was barely anyone left, and it seemed that Draco and Blaise were deep in conversation, ignoring Parkinson behind them.

"So if he asks, what should I say?"

"Well, what do you think, Hermione?! Yes, of course!" Ginny hit her playfully on the arm. "You know you want to." Hermione blushed. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she did want to go with him, very badly. She sighed, doubts beginning to creep into her head.

"If he wanted to go with me he would have asked already, don't you think? Like when we were first planning the ball. He probably just bought the dress to be nice."

"Filthy rich or not, men don't just buy really expensive dresses for girls just for the hell of it. He wants to see you in that dress Hermione, with _him_!" She couldn't help the way her mind began to wander. She had seen the dress robes he bought, and could imagine him in them. Hermione would feel like the luckiest girl at Hogwarts if he asked her. She remembered what it felt like for him to hold her, even if it had only been for that brief moment by the lake. Yes, she wanted to go with him, more than she'd realized.

"Mate, just ask her. You know you want to, we all know she wants you to." Draco was taken aback by his friend. He'd been watching her, his stomach doing a strange twist every time she looked over. When he saw her laugh, he was sure it was something about him. The blond Slytherin had never really felt this way before, so he wasn't sure how to go about acting on his thoughts. Not only that, he wasn't sure if Hermione would return his efforts. Given their history, he was sure she was only following orders. Granted, she may see him as a friend, but he didn't think she would ever be willing to see him as anything more. As much as it hurt to admit, even if it was only to himself, he wanted to be more.

"And how do you know that?" Draco watched as his friend looked over to the Gryffindors, catching Weasley's eye and nodding. Blaise seemed to have made easy friends with Ginny Weasley, and even with Potter.

"Just trust me on this and ask her tonight, before someone else does." Draco looked at his friend, eyebrows raised.

"What do you know that I don't?" Blaise shrugged, placing an innocent look on his face.

"Nothing. Just a gut feeling, one that I'm pretty sure you've got too, but are just denying it." With that, Blaise left the table. Unfortunately for Draco, Pansy was still there. She seemed different, though. Instead of her usual prattling, she had given up after a few minutes. She just sat there, as if she were actually _thinking_. Draco was curious, since he'd never seen her like that before. _I wasn't aware Pansy could think at all._

"Pansy? You seem kind of off today. Everything alright?" She jumped slightly, as if she wasn't expecting him to speak.

"What? Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking." She got up, a contemplative look on her face. He was alone at his table now, everyone having already left, so he got up to leave, not noticing that Ginny and Hermione were also exiting. He was distracted, so he wasn't watching where he was going. Hermione was busy talking to Ginny when it happened. She walked right into his chest, nearly falling back. Draco reacted fast enough to catch her before she fell.

"Oh, sorry about that." Hermione blushed. She had almost tripped and fallen completely. Draco had caught her by the arm.

"It's ok." He smiled at her, not letting go of her arm. _C'mon, just ask. I won't have another opportunity like this again. _With a deep breath he cleared his thoughts. Without realizing he was doing it, he slid his hand down to hers, holding it lightly. Hermione could feel her stomach do a little flip, her heart sputtering for a bit. "Um, Hermione. Do you want to go to the dance together?" Her eyes widened in surprise, and she realized Ginny had walked away from them the second she'd bumped into him. She felt her face break into a smile. Even though she was still blushing, she responded.

"Yes. I'd love to." He smiled back, and they stood there for a second, until Draco realized he still held her hand. He let go, smiling at her again and leading the way to the common room. They walked in a semi-comfortable silence, Hermione beaming inside and Draco's hand practically twitching to take hers again. They brushed hands a few times, small jolts going through the both of them.

Hermione couldn't help the way the excitement bubbled in her for the next few weeks. She didn't talk about it as much as she would have liked to. Harry was indifferent about it, happy for his friend and keeping peace with Draco, yet he didn't really need to hear about it. Talking to Ron was out of the question, if anything, he was worse than he'd been before. She could only talk to Ginny when she wasn't in class. Draco was the person she spent the most time around, and she was self-conscious about actually speaking of the ball in other than technical terms. Draco was the same, though he didn't want to speak about it, so much as he wanted the day to just come.

The excitement of the masquerade was for everyone, not just the Head Boy and Girl. Despite the forced interhouse mingling, people were able to get past it. Hermione found it ironic that most of the Slytherins, at least some of the younger years, chose to go with mostly Gryffindors. They seemed to all be following Draco's example. News got around the school fast, and it was only a couple of hours before everyone had found out.

The day finally came, and the excitement was even more prevalent, if it were possible, than it had been in the weeks leading up to it. Not a single girl could be seen in the halls, or anywhere but the in the dormitories, getting ready. Hermione, however, was running around the great hall, rushing the Prefects. They still had last minute decorations and charms to cast. Professor Flitwick was helping them. Draco watched, somewhat amused at how stressed Hermione looked. She was flustered and running about, giving orders and casting the charms to make the jack-o-lanterns float. It came to the point where she became frustrated, after a pair of prefects failed to cast the right charm on another one of the decorations. Draco had to practically swoop in to save them from her wrath.

"It's ok, Hermione." He waved the Prefects away, and they gave him a grateful look. With a flick of his wand, he fixed the problem and turned to her. "Relax. Why don't you go up to your room and start getting ready? All the other girls have gone." He gestured to the rest of the room, and Hermione noted that the only Prefects left were the boys. He was right. "I'll finish up here and meet you in the common room, ok?" He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but let the tension in her shoulders relax. She'd been overwhelmed by the last minute preparations, and there were only three hours left until the dance started. It took the men a considerably shorter time to get ready, so they had all stayed behind while the girls took most of the day prepare.

"Ok." She smiled at him. Before she turned to leave, Draco winked at her.

"See you tonight." The wink had produced a familiar feeling in her stomach, one she only got before an exam. She was nervous. Hermione could only nod, an walk out of the room before the blush overwhelmed her face completely. Draco watched her go, the image of her in the dress he'd bought her beginning to form in his mind. Smiling to himself, a sense of possessiveness came over him. Tonight, she was _his_ date and no one else's.

Hermione practically dashed into her room, bee-lining it to the closet and taking the dress out. Putting the dress on wasn't going to be the problem. The issue would arise when it came to doing her make-up and hair. She barely brought any make up with her, since she didn't really think she would need it at school, and she knew minimal self-primping spells. Once she had the dress on, she got to work on her hair. It was a bushy mess, because of all the running around she'd been doing and how flustered she was. Without Draco having noticed, she'd taken a book out of the library on hair spells. She wanted to look as best she could, and she'd been practicing every night since she'd taken it out of the library. Pulling the book out once more, she sifted through it, looking for the style she'd settled on a few nights beforehand.

She finally found it and got to work. The style was simple, since Hermione wasn't really into very elaborate hairstyles. Most of her hair was left loose, with two braids running alongside her head and meeting at the back. She had managed to tame her hair to the point where the curls looked more elegant than unruly, falling nicely down her back. She had two straight locks lightly framing her face. The braids gave off a princess-like impression. When she was finally satisfied with her hair, she got to work on make-up. Again, she didn't really like to be overly complicated or elaborate, so she carefully combined what little make up she had and what few spells she knew. The outcome was a light eyeshadow, a soft combination of white and gray, barely noticeable, but enough to highlight her eyes. She darkened her lips by barely a shade. It was subtle, but it had taken her the better part of the time left before the party to perfect it the way she wanted. Hermione had heard as Draco walked past her room and into his. She was still getting ready.

On her desk, there was a necklace her mother and father had bought her as an early graduation present, and she had saved wearing it until tonight. It was a pretty silver chain, with an otter charm on it. She had told her parents of her Patronus, and they'd surprised her by having it custom made while she was in France. They had sent it to Hogwarts about two weeks after the planning for the ball had begun. It looked like a tiny, solid Patronus. She smiled as she looked at it, fondness for her parents stirring in her. After placing the gift around her neck and the mask on her face, she took a deep breath. Draco was already downstairs waiting for her. She quickly put on a pair of long, silver earrings, double checked herself in the mirror, and headed for her door.

Draco couldn't explain the feeling of nervousness as he sat on the couch, waiting for Hermione. He'd already seen what she looked like in that dress. He shouldn't be nervous. _Draco Malfoy does _not_ get nervous_. Yet, the more he told himself that, the worse it got. He'd double, and even triple, checked himself in the mirror before leaving his room. Suddenly, the door to Hermione's room creaked open, and his head snapped up to look at her. She descended the stairs slowly, careful not to fall. He couldn't take his eyes off her. _Absolutely beautiful_. She stopped at the foot of the stairs, smiling shyly. He hadn't realized he'd been staring, not until he saw the way she looked away and blushed. Snapping out of his observation, he forced himself to speak.

"You look...stunning." Her smile widened, the blush spreading further along her face, and she was suddenly glad for the slight cover. She closed the distance between them in a few quick strides, surprising herself at how easily she could walk in the shoes and under her current nerves.

"Thank you, Draco. You don't look all that bad yourself." She winked at him, and Draco felt his breath catch slightly. _What is she doing to me?_ He offered her his arm, and she looped hers around it carefully. They walked in a comfortable silence to the Great Hall. The few people they saw on the way would stop and stare. Everyone knew they would be going together, but it didn't seem to sink into their minds until they actually saw it with their own eyes. The men practically started walking into doors at the sight of Hermione, and the girls all glared viciously at her. It took everyone a few moments to get used to the sight before them. When they entered the Great Hall, there was a small collective gasp.

Harry was smiling in their direction, while speaking animatedly with Blaise, Ginny, and Luna. Ron was nowhere in sight. Hermione and Draco didn't pay much attention to what went on around them, until Professor McGonagall's voice rang out above the others.

"Will the Head Boy and Head Girl please open the dance?" Suddenly, music began to play, and Hermione felt herself being led to the floor by the boy at her side. A whole new set of nerves settled in her. Victor Krum had been the only other person she'd ever danced with, and she hadn't exactly done a great job of it either. They had only managed through because Krum had taken classes as a child and easily led her through it.

"Draco...um, I should warn you, I'm not the best dancer..." He picked the center of the floor, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You think Krum's the only guy who can ballroom dance?" He leaned back and gave her his trademark smirk. He picked up the music instantly, and lead her through the movements just as easily, perhaps more so, than Krum had three years beforehand.

Hermione had never been the type to fantasize about being a princess, or any of that kind of rubbish. She was too realistic. However, she couldn't help but feel like one, as cliché as it sounded, as Draco twirled her on the dance floor. His movements were practically effortless, and his ease became slightly contagious. His confidence rubbed off on her, and she couldn't help but smile as they moved through the dance. Soon, others were beginning to crowd the dance floor, and Hermione spotted Blaise, Ginny, Harry, and Luna dance near each other and continuing whatever their previous conversation had been. She took this opportunity to take in the hall, and all the work that had been put in it. The usual candles and pumpkins had been successfully charmed to float about the room, casting a mysterious, ethereal glow. The tables had been moved to the sides, lining the walls and full of refreshments. The entire dance had replaced the Halloween Feast. Spiderwebs and other Halloween memorabilia hung above them. She could even see the spiders they had transfigured out of small acorns crawling about above them.

Everyone looked amazing in gowns and masks. She couldn't recognize anyone but Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Blaise, and that was only because Ginny's hair stood out and the four of them had become inseparable. She could see them having fun through the dim lighting. The ball itself was much darker than the Yule Ball of their fourth year. The masks were an excellent touch, adding to the air of mystery. She realized many of the students had opted to go without dates, simply hoping to meet a new friend at the ball. It was working out better than she had hoped.

While Hermione did her best to take in her surroundings and not hyperventilate at being so close to Draco, he could do nothing but look down at her. He wanted to hold her closer, if it were possible. He was barely even paying any attention to the dancing. He tried to memorize how she felt in his arms, and how _right_ it all was. Everything was just as she'd wanted it to be, and because of that, he was happy. The Slytherin wasn't quite sure how long he had been staring at her, only that she suddenly looked up, and that he'd managed to look away swiftly enough to avoid detection.

Hermione saw him tilt his head slightly, as if he'd been looking around the room as she had. She took the opportunity to watch his face. She was both relieved to have chosen masks but at the same time slightly frustrated. The Gryffindor wanted to be able to see his facial expressions, but she was also glad she couldn't. His face had never completely recovered from the broken, tortured expression of his nightmares. She didn't want to see that side of him, not tonight. Contentment filled her completely, and she was fine just watching him look around the room. He spotted Blaise and the others, and decided to end the dancing. He slid his hand down to hers, holding it lightly and leading her toward them.

"Wow Hermione! You look gorgeous!" Ginny's compliment was the loudest, Luna agreeing in a dreamily way and Harry simply smiling and mumbling something about looking pretty.

"Yeah Granger, you clean up nice." Blaise had taken to being friendly with her, but still couldn't shake off the habit of using her last name. Draco leaned down to follow up on his friend's comment.

"That doesn't do you justice. You're beautiful." Hermione again couldn't help but smile and be happy about the masks. She felt her face get redder as time progressed. She was about to reply when the doors to the Great Hall opened and a new couple walked in. Everyone was taken aback by the flash of red hair on the man.

"Ron?!" The small group gasped together, because they immediately recognized who he was with, and it definitely wasn't Lavender.

"Mate...that's Pansy!" Hermione couldn't help the small flare of anger that sparked inside her. She had no romantic feelings for Ron, not anymore, but she had other reasons to be angry. Ron walked over to them, and Hermione couldn't stop the words that left her mouth.

"Oh, so _you're_ allowed to go around with a Slytherin on your arm, _Pansy_, no offense Parkinson, and I can't even be friends with Draco?" Draco wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from getting out of hand, whispering in her ear to calm down.

"It's ok, Hermione. This is what we were aiming for, remember? Let it go." Ron was surprised at how Draco was handling the situation. "You're much prettier than her anyway." That last part only Hermione could hear, and it was enough to make her anger dissipate. She turned around to face him.

"You know I don't care about that. I'm not upset because he's with her, I'm upset because he shunned me for being your friend." Draco simply shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. Either way, I got the better end of the deal if you ask me." He winked at her, gesturing for them to go back to the dance floor. She smiled at him, and they went back, but not before nodding curtly to Ron. It would be a while before Hermione would forgive him for the way he treated her, even though she'd been so willing to make peace beforehand.

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_I know that's kind of a choppy way to end a chapter....but I have more goodies coming soon! The story gets a little more fast paced after this, so brace yourselves ;)_

_Thanks again for the reviews and support! And if you haven't reviewed yet, please do!!! They make me a happy camper :) hehe...._


	13. For Now

_Here's Chapter 13! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay sooner than anticipated....I'm sacrificing sleep here! lol. Well, I hope you like it._

_Don't own it...yadda...yadda...yawn_

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Chapter 13: For Now

The rest of the night Hermione practically spent it in Draco's arms. She honestly couldn't imagine a more perfect feeling. Memories of the Yule Ball would float in once in a while, but whenever she remembered Krum, the overwhelming desire for him to have been Draco threatened to bubble over. Now that she thought of it, she remembered seeing him constantly at the Yule Ball, looking bored and sometimes even trying to avoid Pansy. The thought of Pansy brought her mind to the unexpected couple of the night. Her eyes roamed over to Ron and his date. Earlier in the school year, that may have caused a twinge of jealousy, but now she was just frustrated. It just seemed too unfair.

"Relax." Draco had felt her tension, and had been trying to relieve it by keeping her mind of Pansy and Weasley. He'd chosen to take her to the other end of the dance floor, as far from the redhead and Slytherin girl as he could. Hermione looked up, giving him a small smile.

"I'm fine, really." He simply smirked at her, knowing full well she was lying.

"Whatever you say, Hermione." The conversation died, and they simply continued on dancing. Without even realizing it, the friendly distance between them had become more intimate. There was barely any room between them now, and she had unconsciously rested her head against his shoulder, while his arm hugged her closer. The scent of his cologne threatened to make her dizzy, but in a good way. It wasn't overbearing, yet still enough to make her mind spin for entirely different reasons. She smiled at herself, taking small peeks at the girls around her, watching as they watched her. She had never received so many glares, nor any as intense, in her entire career at Hogwarts, not even from Draco himself.

Draco was doing much the same thing as Hermione, a smug feeling forming inside him, stronger than the usual. The other men in the room eyed Hermione, and he simply brought her closer. _Mine,_ he seemed to say with every movement he made. _Still can't believe she said yes..._It had surprised him, despite his usual confidence and Blaise's unwavering resolve that she would. Reality butted its ugly head in, though, and he had the sinking feeling that everything would end soon, as all good things did for him. That only made him want to hold onto her longer, even if she would only ever be a friend.

Hermione felt the way his arm brought her closer, sensed something in the movement, but she just couldn't place it. She looked up at him, and their eyes met for a moment. She tried to read him, and he tried reading her. The young witch saw a strange expression in her partner's eyes. It was akin to the look she'd seen after his nightmares. Panic? She couldn't be sure, though. As for Draco, he merely saw her confusion at trying to see through his carefully constructed mask. He smiled at her, at the concern in her chocolate eyes.

The song was over, and they both decided to take a break, still keeping to their side of the room. Hermione sat down, waiting as Draco went to get some refreshments. She watched the product of all their planning and hard work with contentment. The night was going perfectly. She even had to smile slightly at Ron and Pansy. It was, after all, the whole point of the ball.

Draco watched Hermione even as he gathered their drinks. She seemed very happy with the result. He was glad. Honestly, it was hard to imagine not being happy when he had her, even if it was only like this for the masquerade. He returned and took the seat beside her, handing her a glass. They drank in comfortable silence, until Blaise called Draco over from the other side of the room. Draco threw him a questioning look, and he simply continued to gesture at him to get up and go over to him.

"I'll be right back, Blaise apparently needs to tell me something." Hermione nodded, content to watch everyone else. Once he'd crossed the distance of the room, he shot a glare at Blaise.

"What do you want?"

"Ask her to be your girlfriend, mate. It's so clear that she wants you to." The statement caught him off-guard.

"What?"

"He's right, you know." The young redheaded girl came out of nowhere, Harry and Luna in tow. Draco caught a glimpse of the way Blaise shifted when Luna approached. _Interesting...I'll have to repay his favors. _"You really should. Hermione was patient with Ron, but after how that turned out, I don't think her patience would hold out for the next one..." Draco waited for a reaction from Harry, but nothing but a nod came his way. Luna stared out dreamily. Suddenly, Harry's expression changed. It was one of foreboding, like he predicted something bad would happen. Draco turned to see what he was looking at.

McGonagall had just walked into the room, with the most morose, serious look on her face. There were the traces of tears in her eyes. Draco watched as she scanned the room, and he assumed she searched for Harry, or even Draco himself. He never thought she would make a straight path towards Hermione. Or that, when she got there, it would only be moments before the shattering of glass was heard throughout the entire hall. The younger witch had stood to greet her professor, and the elder had placed a hand on her shoulder. She seemed to have struggled in delivering whatever message it was she had been told to relay. Draco's heart almost stopped at the way Hermione's face paled. Her hand went limp and she dropped the glass. In that moment Draco could only see her, everything else having dropped to complete unimportance. Her balance wavered, and he was beside her in seconds.

"Hermione, what happened? Professor?" He looked to the elder woman, but she didn't seem able to say anything, simply repaired the broken glass. When she finally spoke, it didn't help very much.

"Mr. Malfoy, please, escort Ms. Granger back to the common room." Hermione had leaned into him, feeling smaller than ever before. McGonagall's words sounded so far away to her, in a completely different dimension. In those few words McGonagall had spoken to her, her heart had broken, been torn to pieces by an invisible shredder. The tears were coming, she knew they were, but she couldn't let herself cry with so many people around. Draco simply nodded in response, walking her out and avoiding everyone's stares and strange looks. Ginny shot him a questioning gaze, but he could do nothing but shrug.

Hermione was deathly quiet the whole way back, and he had to double check her to make sure she was even breathing. He opted for one of the secret passageways. When they stepped into the portrait whole, she collapsed. Falling to the carpet, she let a sob escape her throat, and the tears began to flow nonstop. She could do nothing but cry, shaking, and hold the charm on her necklace. The only thing she had left. Draco immediately knelt beside her, but he didn't know what to do. He'd dealt with crying girls before, but not like this. The crying he'd dealt with were break ups. This was pain on a whole new level, one he felt he understood, but he didn't know how to help another.

"Hermione....what's wrong? Tell me what happened...." His words were unsure. He placed an arm around her, and she just kept crying. Suddenly, in a burst of anger, she got up, practically running away from him. "Please..." She wouldn't, or couldn't speak. Draco wasn't sure what the case was. He didn't know what to do. His heart broke at her agony. If only he knew what was wrong. "Hermione..." He closed the distance between them again, doing the only thing he felt he could do. She tried to run away again, but he took her arm and pulled her towards him. Hugging her close, he spoke again, "Talk to me, say something, anything. I want to understand what's wrong."

His words seemed to break her further, and she nearly collapsed again, her sobs continuing, the crying never ceasing. She clutched his shirt, but even her usually strong grip was limp. He supported most of her weight, walking her over to the couch. There was no way they'd be able to make it up the stairs. When they sat, she curled up to him, and he had to shift his body to face her more fully. The dress made holding her slightly more complicated. In the end he was leaning back on the armrest, and she was holding herself against him. He allowed her to cry, glad that at least she wasn't running from her now. It was a long time before either of them spoke. She finally managed a few words between her sobs.

"D-Draco....I'm....sorry....for-"

"Shh. Don't apologize for anything. _Ever_. Especially not now." He paused, trying to measure his words. "Will you tell me what happened?" She stiffened at his words, and he stroked her hair, trying to calm her. "You don't have to if you don't want to." She relaxed a bit more, closing her eyes.

"I-My parents....they're dead." Draco felt his whole body go cold at her words. It had been Voldemort's doing. He knew it was. Had he found out about their attachment? How? He didn't get a chance to ask. It seemed once she had begun speaking, she wouldn't stop. "McGonagall said it was like the Pettigrew incident.......from way back. An entire town this time........My hometown, completely destroyed. My parents....gone." The tears continued to stream down her face. A strange sense of relief washed over, Draco, though. Hermione's family had not been specifically targeted. It had been a random attack on a muggle town. Hermione wasn't in any immediate danger, and for that Draco was glad. He held her tighter, though, and she accepted his embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. I don't know what to do, or what to say. You've done so much for me..." His throat was closing up, and it was the strangest, most alien feeling he'd ever had. He stopped speaking, and the girl in his arms simply shifted her weight and rested more comfortably.

"Don't. You don't have to say anything," she seemed to have relaxed slightly, at least able to speak a bit more normally. "This is more than I should even ask for." She lifted her face to meet his eyes. "Thank you...so much."

"You deserve much more than you realize, Hermione." She smiled meekly, and he gave her the best smile he could muster. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized he wasn't going anywhere, that he would stay there, with her. He continued to comfort her, running his hands through her smooth curls. She sighed in his arms, her eyes fluttering closed. As she did, she caught a glimpse of his shirt, and how soaked it was in makeup and tears. For some reason, she found this hilarious. She giggled.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I ruined your dress robes." He looked at what she was referring to. Smiling, slightly taken aback by her change in mood, he shrugged.

"I rather enjoy holding you in my arms, so I don't particularly care." He didn't know what made him say it. For some reason, the words had just escaped him. His usual control had slipped completely. Hermione felt her face heat up, and simply closed her eyes again, waiting for her breathing to return to normal. Now was not the time to be thinking of romance. Her parents were dead. The painful reminder tore through her. She fingered the silver otter at her neck, sighing and letting more tears fall. She was quieter now, though. He had both arms around her now, and his control slipped again, letting him kiss her forehead lightly.

Hermione was alone now, the only people in her life that were left were her friends. Even then, that only consisted of Ginny, Harry, and now Draco, since Ron had been such a git recently. Harry and Ginny had each other, and that left her with only Draco. She realized they were both in the same situation. He, too, had lost his parents. He didn't have any family, at all. After graduation, they would both be alone. And after the war, God only knew how many would remain standing. These thoughts ran through them both, digging deeper into their individual pain. Hermione broke the silence first.

"I'm going to go change out of this dress." She got up, and they both went to their separate rooms. She quickly changed, removing make up and throwing on a pair of flannel pajama pants and a tank top. She knew if she slept now she'd b kept awake by nightmares. She opted to go back downstairs, intending to grab a book. She was on the couch when she heard Draco emerge from his room. "Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Not if you're still out here." He was in a wifebeater and a pair of pajama pants as well. "It's freezing, despite the fire. You'll get sick." He went back to his room and reemerged moments later with a large blanket. He descended the stairs and sat beside her, offering the blanket.

"What about you?" He leaned back into the seat.

"I'll be fine." Without warning, she closed the distance between them on the couch, snuggling closer to him and sharing the blanket. She leaned into him, his arm around her, her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." They went back to how they had been before. She closed her eyes again, simply taking in how it felt for him to hold her like that. It was the only good thing left, and she knew it wouldn't last. Her life had just been thrown to pieces, and she had no idea what she would do. "You don't know how much it means to me that you're still here."

"Anytime. I'll stay for as long as you need me to." At his words she held him tighter. He was sure she hadn't caught the meaning behind what he'd said. _I'll stay for as long as you'll have me, for as long as possible._ He never wanted to let go, but he knew the day would come when he would have to. He knew the night would end.

"Then please stay here with me. I....I don't want to be alone." The last word held so much meaning, Draco knew exactly what she meant. Hermione wasn't referring to being physically alone in the common room, not completely. Emotionally, she wanted him with her. He could relate to her, and they had shared too many moments like these for him to even think of leaving her.

"As long as I'm here, you'll never be alone. I promise." The conviction in his voice sent her heart racing, and all she could do was stare at his eyes, the way they bore into hers. Earlier that night, when they were dancing, Draco had played with the idea of kissing her. He still wanted to, very badly, but he knew it wouldn't be a good idea. She was too emotional, and he didn't want to take advantage of that. So he settled on smiling, bringing his lips to her forehead again, in more of a brotherly way than romantically. _It will just have to be like this, for now._ Hermione's heart skipped a beat for the umpteenth time that night.

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_It's short, I know, but I didn't want to continue it in this chapter lol....I'm partial to the last line as a good way to wrap up a chapter :)_

_Well, that's it til next time!! Tell me what ya think, please! Like I said before: sleep is being sacrificed haha.....therefore reviews would be greatly...and I mean GREATLY, appreciated ;)_

_Thanks in advance for reading/reviewing!!!_


	14. Comfort

Well, here's the next part!!! Thanks to my awesome reviewers! It means a helluvalot to me that you guys keep following :)

Don't own it....duh! If I did, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing fanfiction ;)

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Chapter 14: Comfort

Hermione awoke groggier than usual, the product of tears and exhaustion. It took a few moments for her to realize where she was, what had happened the night before, and who she was with. Groaning, she opened her eyes slightly, trying to rub them. The sky outside suggested it was very early morning, probably four am. Her head was resting on a warm, solid surface, one she wasn't used to. Draco sighed deeply, and the movement of his chest made reality crash down on Hermione. The memories of the night before came back, her extreme happiness at the ball and then McGonagall's news. Her parents were dead. She was an orphan now, alone except for the few people she considered friends, Draco among them. She wiped at her tear stained face, feeling the dried saltwater.

_Draco... _He had stayed with her through the night, probably very uncomfortable, on the couch. His arms were still around her, and she wanted to let herself believe he cared about her as more than a friend, she really did. But, given the current situation and their past, she was still doubtful. She had comforted him in the same way hadn't she? That had been before their friendship. Granted, she cared about him deeply, perhaps more than she should, but who's to say he was the same? She tilted her head up slightly, careful not to wake him. He looked at peace, for the first time since she'd seen him, his face didn't bear even a trace of pain. She realized then that he also hadn't had any nightmares that night, or at least hadn't woken up in his usual way. With those thoughts running through her, she allowed herself to fall into an easy sleep again, unwilling to actually move from her spot on the couch. It was a Sunday, after all, and they could sleep in as late as they wished.

Moments later, Draco's eyes fluttered open, as they had several times in the night. The nightmares still haunted him, but nowhere near as bad as before. He didn't awaken as violently, and at realizing every time that Hermione was in his arms, he'd been ok. She kept the nightmares at bay, and they no longer haunted his waking hours. The young Slytherin wanted to thank her, somehow show his gratitude, and he felt that simply comforting her would never be enough. He itched to tell her how he felt, but an unfamiliar insecurity kept him from acting. Never before had the Slytherin Prince been insecure, least of all around women, but she stirred a completely different side to him. _Honestly...what has she done to me?_ He thought this with a smile playing on his features. Only Hermione could make him feel this way, he was sure of it.

She slept quietly in his arms, and he relished in the moment. Draco knew this wouldn't happen again. This was due to outstanding circumstances, and it wasn't likely that they would ever be like this again. His mind began to wander to the night before, to the look on Hermione's face when McGonagall delivered the news. Voldemort had ruined yet another life, more than he could count. Hermione didn't deserve this. Rage flared inside him. Voldemort would pay, he swore it. Seeing the young witch cry was more than Draco could bear. She had always seemed so strong, like an unbreakable fortress, especially after how she had helped him. He wanted so badly to never let go, to protect her from anything or anyone that could cause her harm.

"Draco..." He was snapped from his thoughts at her barely audible whisper. She spoke softly, repeating his name and then sighing, a sad smile gracing her lips. Snuggling closer, her grip on his shirt tightened. His eyes widened at the realization that she was still asleep. She'd muttered _his_ name in her sleep. Not Weasley's, or Harry's, but _his_. He couldn't be sure if it'd been due to the previous night, but the small word had provided some confidence, that perhaps he did have a chance with her as more than friends. With a smile on his lips, he held her and allowed himself to fall into sleep again.

When he awoke again, it was close to ten in the morning. He had a Quidditch practice that day at noon. Quietly he cursed the sport, for making him leave Hermione sooner than he would have liked. With the grace worthy of a dancer, he managed to slip away from her sleeping figure without waking her. Draco didn't want to leave her on the couch, as she would get cold, so he picked her up, blanket and all, and took her to her own room. After placing her on the bed, and making sure she wouldn't be cold, he left and closed the door quietly. Dressing quickly and being sure to stay quiet, he decided to leave her a note.

_Hermione,_

_Went to breakfast, Quidditch practice at noon. Didn't want to wake you, I hope you slept well. I'll see you later._

_Draco_

He left the note on the desk in the common room, and promptly made his way to the Great Hall. For a Sunday morning, the hall was crowded. Everyone stopped what they were doing when he walked in, expecting Hermione to be with him. When she wasn't, they went back to minding their own business, but the hushed murmurs could be hear throughout. Draco was stopped by Harry and Ginny on his way to the Slytherin table.

"Is she alright? It was all over the Daily Prophet this morning, the attack on that muggle town. Her parents lived there..."

"As alright as could be expected. She's still sleeping. I have a Quidditch practice today, so I wasn't able to stay much longer. You can go, if you'd like." In a foreign gesture, Draco gave Harry and Ginny the location and password into the Heads' room. It caught them all by surprise, but all three of them brushed it off. He really _was_ changing, whether it was for Hermione's sake or not, only Draco knew. The young couple left the Great Hall, heading for the portrait of the young girl in the violet dress.

Draco was surprised to see Blaise in the hall this early on a Sunday, but then he followed the dark-haired boy's eyes and saw why. On the other side of the room, Luna Lovegood was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. The blond smiled to himself, sitting beside his friend.

"Good morning, mate." Blaise was brought out of his gazing to turn to his friend. His expression changed to one of concern, a strange look for him.

"How's she doing? Harry and Ginny told me that was the town her parents lived in." Draco gave him the same response he'd given the other two, then proceeded to eat in silence. "Damn. Poor Granger. How are you holding up, though? Everything alright? You seem kind of off."

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just realized something this morning, that's all." Blaise smirked at him. He knew perfectly well what it was he had finally realized. Not only had Draco experienced an epiphany, but so had Blaise. Last night had opened his eyes to the possibility of dating outside his own house, and he realized he was quickly forming feelings for the young, eccentric Ravenclaw. Of course, he wasn't about to admit that to anyone, not yet anyway.

Soon afterward, Draco left for practice, but not before noticing the couple that walked into the room as he walked out. It would seem Pansy was Ron's new Lavender. He took a peek at the Gryffindor table, where he noticed Lavender in a very put off mood. He smirked slightly, knowing that the news of Lavender being pushed off to the side may or may not serve to cheer Hermione up some.

Hermione woke up in her bed, slightly confused as to how she came to be there. The last thing she remembered was seeing Draco beside her on the couch, then going back to sleep. Had he placed her here? She took a look at the clock, cringing when she saw how late it was; a little past noon. Getting up, she went about her morning rituals quicker than usual. If she didn't hurry, she'd miss the last of brunch. After dressing comfortably, she made her way down the stairs, coming across the note Draco had left. She smiled to herself as she read it. Suddenly, the portrait hole opened, and in walked Ginny and Harry.

"Hey. Who gave you the password?"

"Draco did. He thought you could use some company while he was at practice." Hermione smiled at their thoughtfulness. They'd also brought her breakfast from the kitchens. Harry handed her a warm mug of coffee, and she sat down on the couch, where the blanket from the previous night still sat, in complete disarray. Ginny looked at her questioningly. "Did you sleep down here last night?" Hermione wasn't sure how to respond to her question. Her nerves were catching up with her. Even though they hadn't _done _anything, saying that she and Draco slept on the couch together would still be taken the wrong way. A small part of her didn't really mind the interpretation though. That was the part that spurred her on.

"Yeah. Draco stayed with me through the night." Harry nearly choked on air, but Ginny beamed at Hermione's confession. "Mind out of the gutter Harry! I don't know what the two of _you_ do behind doors, but I can assure you I don't do anything remotely like that. We just sat together for a long time while he comforted me, and just fell asleep." Harry seemed to feel better after her explanation, but Ginny, on the other hand, seemed pretty disappointed.

"That's cute. I didn't know Draco had a sensitive side to him." Hermione smiled, and Ginny was glad to see her friend was at least slightly happy, given the circumstances. Neither Harry nor Ginny brought up her parents in the entire conversation that followed. They knew Hermione didn't want to be constantly reminded by 'I'm sorry' or 'I hope you feel better.' Hermione mourned silently, away from everyone but Draco. That's how it was for weeks after. Ron still kept as much distance between them as possible, while Draco just seemed to grow closer and closer with each Patronus tutoring session and the constant heart-to-hearts they would have in the common room.

Draco's Patronus was getting stronger, but it still lacked a definite shape. As amusing as it was, Hermione believed it to be a ferret, but she refused to bring it up. She didn't want to do or say anything that could bring up their past animosity. Draco, however, believed the same thing. He was starting to dread the day when it would take full shape. He'd be laughed at all over again, just like in their fourth year.

"Give it another try. Maybe this time you'll get it." Draco was still reluctant to use Hermione as his memory. He made it a point to suppress the masquerade in his mind, and the night they spent together, the feel of her in his arms, holding onto him. The more he forced it out, though, the harder it became to resist it. His weakening resolve was evident every time he cast the spell. Hermione beamed, since it looked to her that he was just getting better and better. Again he tried, and this time the Patronus had two more appendages protruding from what they assumed was its back. _So much for the ferret idea. _Draco secretly beamed inside, new confidence emerging in him at the fact that it could never be a ferret. "Alright. One more. You can do it." He looked at her beaming face, and it was enough to push him over the line. He couldn't suppress the way he felt when he was with her anymore.

"_Expecto Patronum._" Out of his wand came a shimmering figure that had finally taken form. An adolescent dragon, just large enough to be able to move freely within the Room of Requirement. Even Draco was in shock as he watched it gracefully move around them. Hermione had to crane her neck to watch it travel around the room. She moved to stand beside Draco, watching his Patronus in awe. She nearly fell back when it moved towards them slightly. Stumbling, she fell into Draco, and he caught her.

"W-Wow....That's....amazing. What did you think about that produced _that_?" She turned around in his arms, her curiosity keeping her from realizing that he hadn't let go. She saw him smile to himself, looking away. He wanted to tell her, he really did. But he couldn't find the words. He settled on one word.

"This." As he spoke the single syllable, he leaned down to kiss her forehead, and then proceeded to hug her. Her heart skipped, and it was all she could do to keep her knees from giving out. "Thank you, Hermione," he whispered in her ear, "for everything."

"Y-You're welcome....Draco...." It was all she could manage to mutter. He pulled away, smiling widely at her. The Patronus had disappeared by now, Draco having lost his focus. She smiled back, trying to calm her racing heart. They walked out of the room in silence, Hermione contemplating the meaning behind his actions and Draco trying to evaluate her reaction.

_It's too good to be true._ Hermione, being the cynic she was, couldn't help but doubt Draco's feelings. He had never straight out stated anything. They could just be very good friends. Their relationship resembled hers and Harry's. The hug and kiss on the forehead, in her mind, was meant in a brotherly way. However, her heart said, _wanted_ otherwise. Thoughts running amok in her head, she didn't realize she was wrapping her arms around herself at the chill in the halls. It was late at night, as their Patronus sessions usually were, not to mention that it was almost Christmas. Climate was getting worse by the day. Her gesture, though, was both due to the chill and her own self-consciousness. She wasn't very happy nowadays, for obvious reasons. Thinking that Draco had feelings for her made her heart stutter, but her rational side beat the elation down.

Draco, despite his usual confidence, was thinking much the same way. He'd never had trouble with girls, but Hermione was in a class of her own. She was special to him, and that made him nervous, something he was completely unfamiliar with. He had a habit of losing his words around her, unable to focus or concentrate on anything. _Why would she even _like_ me though?_ He questioned himself in a similar way to Hermione's thoughts. After all, she had plenty of reasons to hate him. He was surprised she'd been able to get past it long enough for them to be civil, let alone friends. Hermione truly was one of a kind, to have accepted his friendship so openly. A movement from Hermione caught his eye, and he shot a glance at her, noticing her shiver slightly and bring her arms up around her. Draco figured it was due to the cold, but then he caught the expression on her face. She didn't seem happy. Her eyes were downcast and there was a frown on her lips.

It was a massive switch from how happy she'd been for him earlier. He hated seeing her this way. She would get into moods like this all the time, ever since her parents had passed away. He saw some of himself in those moments, and again it astounded him how similar they were. Draco had suffered the same way she had, months before, at the loss of his mother. She'd helped him through that, and he vowed to do the same for her.

Hermione's mind started to drift. Thinking about Draco that way always led to the night he'd comforted her, and then memories of her mom and dad would come back. The pain of loss was still fresh, the wound reopening every time she thought about it. By the time they were at the portrait hole she was in much the same condition she'd been in the night she found out. Without the hysterics, she let tears fall. Draco was used to seeing this, her spontaneous crying. Sometimes they would be sitting in the common room working on an assignment and she'd start to sniffle, and he would look over. Sure enough, she would be crying. Now was no different. She didn't want to burden him anymore, though, and decided to go to her room.

Before she did, though, he caught up with her, stopping her at the door to her bedroom. He placed his hand on her elbow, holding it slightly. Turning her around, he searched her face.

"Are you ok?" He knew it was a stupid question, but he didn't know any other way to express his worry, his desire to comfort her. She smiled sadly, nodding. Despite her response, or perhaps because of it, he drew her into his arms. His lips were by her ear. "Remember that I'm always here for you." She nodded again. When they pulled away, Hermione didn't know what came over her. She stood on her toes and placed a kiss right by the corner of his mouth. Had either of them moved in the slightest, their lips would have touched. Even though they didn't, the contact still sent a shock through both of them. Once she was back to her senses, Hermione's eyes widened at her actions. Without looking at Draco, she went into her room, closing the door as they both whispered, "Good night."

All the Slytherin could do was stand there, dumbstruck. She'd kissed him. Draco had kissed many girls before, and more thoroughly, but nothing compared to Hermione's kiss. As chaste and innocent as it had been, it was better than anything he could remember. He didn't _want_ to remember anyone else. He let his fingers graze the spot lightly as he walked to his room, his mind whirling the entire time he crawled into bed, and well into his sleeping hours.

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**NEXT CHAPTER: CHRISTMAS!!!!** You can only imagine the stuffs that's associated with that....presents, snow, fuzzy goodness, and, of course, misteltoe!!!! But that's all I'll say for now....haha!

Please Review!!!!!!


	15. Christmas

_Well, here's the promised fluffy Christmas chapter! I hope you all enjoy...:)_

_I don't own anything....unfortunately...._

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Chapter 15: Christmas

Christmas approached, and the excitement in the air was evident throughout the halls of Hogwarts. Things had calmed down some between Ron and Hermione, but only because she avoided seeing the redhead. He and Pansy had become inseparable, and it reminded everyone of his Lavender stage. That's not what bothered Hermione, though. What hurt was the fact that everyone, even Pansy, had extended some kind of condolences towards her for the loss of her family, yet Ron said nothing. He never even attempted a conversation with her, and simply ignored her whenever they were in the same room together. She couldn't understand why he was so upset about her and Draco being friends. He and Pansy were dandy, though, weren't they?

Draco saw how Ron's attitude hurt Hermione, and he was quickly becoming the only thing at Hogwarts that annoyed the blond any more. Usually, it was the whole Golden Trio, or pretty much the rest of the student body in general. Now, however, having Hermione as his friend had changed him some, and he had managed to hold a few conversations with Harry and even Luna. The seemingly perpetually dazed witch was more astute than many gave her credit for. In fact, Draco actually sometimes enjoyed conversations with her. Every now and again, he'd bring Blaise along with him when he knew he would see Luna, but that relationship wasn't making much progress. If Draco was nervous around Hermione, poor Blaise was a total wreck when it came to the blonde Ravenclaw.

The weeks leading up to Christmas were filled with girls trying to find themselves under mistletoe with Draco. Of course, he wasn't the only target, but he was the only one amusing himself by watching them. It was particularly funny when girls would even look at Harry, and receive the dreaded female Weasley glare, almost as infamous as the Malfoy smirk, from Ginny. Even though Harry was practically oblivious to the other girls, Ginny was fully aware of their attempts, and scared each one off promptly. Then again, it wasn't very easy to find mistletoe at Hogwarts. Everyone knew it was enchanted mistletoe, and that it forced people underneath it to kiss, but also that it was in the strangest and most random places anyone could imagine. It was never anywhere obvious, like the entrance to the Great Hall or to the dormitories. So Draco watched as girl after girl attempted to get a boy, or himself, to help find it. He was only interested in kissing one girl, and she didn't seem very interested in hunting mistletoe.

As a matter of fact, Hermione did her best to avoid Draco without making it too obvious. She too, kept an eye out for mistletoe, but she didn't want to be obvious about it. Thoughts of the night she kissed him came back, and every time they did, she berated herself for it. He hadn't seemed to mind, but she couldn't be sure if it had been because he felt sorry for her, or because he cared the way she did. He was always around, though, and it became increasingly difficult to avoid him. Not that she minded, she loved spending time with him, and it wasn't something that was about to change, either. So, instead of fully avoiding him, she spent most of the time around him trying to figure out what he'd like for Christmas. He didn't have anyone to send him gifts, so she figured it'd be something special she could do for him.

Figuring out what to get him was harder than she thought it would be, though. He never dropped hints, never spoke about things he liked. She knew he liked books, but that was too cliché, something that people would expect her to get for someone. They made it a habit of going to Hogsmeade every weekend, and she tried to watch what caught his eye in the storefronts. The again, anything he wanted he would just buy himself. It would be difficult to compete with the money he had, and what he'd bought her. That dress had been ridiculously expensive, not something she would ever be able to match in value. The thought disheartened her.

One afternoon they were both walking down a street in Hogsmeade, when Hermione caught sight of a bookstore. She thought of just giving up and buying him a book she thought he'd like, so she went in, with the excuse that she was looking for a book for herself.

"We're gonna be here a while, aren't we?" Draco looked at her with a jokingly pained expression, and she playfully smacked his arm. She'd given up on trying to avoid him for a while now. He always found a way to be near her, and it comforted her that she could at least count on that, no matter how short lived it might be.

"As a matter of fact, we are, so get used to it." With that she walked around, surprised when he wasn't trailing behind her. To her dismay, none of the books she saw seemed to her like something he would like. She thought about getting him a Quidditch book, but realized he probably already owned it. He was difficult to shop for, considering they came from two completely different social circles. She went up to the store clerk, and asked if they did anything special for gifts, like book engravings. The man at the register showed her an array of bookmarks, made of gorgeous silver, that she could have engraved. Hermione's eyes lit up when she saw one of the thin, rectangular plaques with a dragon design on it. It was perfect. There were two green gems for eyes, the only color on the silver. Without a second thought she chose it for Draco. Writing down the name for the clerk, she smiled at him and paid the money. It was expensive, but seeing as she had already gotten Harry, Ginny, and yes, even Ron, a gift, she could afford to spend what was left of her shopping money on Draco.

With a flick of his wand, the clerk muttered a complicated verse and the name appeared in black lettering. He wrapped it in metallic green gift paper and put it in a bag for Hermione. She smiled in thanks and quickly hid the package from Draco as he headed towards them. She went ahead of him outside, facing away from him to cast a shrinking spell on the gift so she could put it on her pocket for the walk back. He met her outside and they walked back to the castle, Hermione beaming inside, confident that he'd like what she bought him.

Draco's mind was still scrambling with the gift possibilities for Hermione. He knew she didn't like extravagant things, judging by how she had fought against him when he bought her that dress. Then again, he didn't care. He would buy her anything she wanted, no matter the price. It's not like he had anyone else to spend it on, anyway. They made idle chatter as he thought about what to get her. The obvious choice would be the newest edition of _Hogwarts: A History_. He did buy that at the store they'd just existed, but he wanted to buy her something else. They walked past a flower shop, and a bright sign advertising ever-living flowers caught his eye. He made a mental note of the store's name, so he could send his owl to make an order.

The days passed, and still no one found any of the sought-after mistletoe. They all knew the houselves had been the ones to put them up, and they had access to every possible nook and cranny of the castle. Finding even one would be near impossible, unless you weren't looking for it, and there was the issue of them constantly changing location. It amused Draco to watch them, but a part of him wandered if Hermione thought the way the others did-that she needed mistletoe to be kissed. He wanted to show her she didn't, but he couldn't gather the nerves to do it. Come to think of it, it wouldn't be so bad if he stumbled upon mistletoe during one of their evening patrols.

Christmas week came by, and most of the castle went home. Harry, Ginny, and Ron, much to Pansy's dismay, went to Grimmauld Place to spend Christmas with the Weasleys. Very few people stayed in the castle, among them Hermione and Draco. They had both been offered the opportunity of spending the holidays with the others at Grimmauld Place, but they both declined. Draco thought it best not to force the others to spend winter break with him in the house, knowing it would make many of them, himself included, uncomfortable. Hermione, on the other had, preferred it this way because she was so used to going home to her parents. She knew that, come Christmas day, the pain of losing her parents would become fresh again, and she was only comfortable crying about it around Draco.

Christmas Eve, Draco and Hermione had patrol duty. Every time they had to patrol, it reminded Hermione of the first time they did, and how it had ended. Little did she know, it was all Draco could think of, too. For the sake of remembering their first patrol, although they didn't say that out loud, they decided to patrol the grounds. All of the outside was covered in snow, and Hermione was reminded of the chill from that first day. Draco saw her shivering, and couldn't help putting and arm around her, bringing her into his cloak.

"Coming out here probably wasn't the greatest idea."

"Definitely not one of our brightest moments." Hermione laughed, seemingly unfazed by his gesture. They'd already been through so much, that small things like embraces such as these really didn't seem out of the ordinary to the two of them. However, Hermione's heart stuttered as it always did. They rushed back inside, deciding to call it a night, seeing as there was barely anyone left in the castle to break the rules anyway. On their walk back Hermione took the time to actually see the decorations that had been put up. This time she and Draco hadn't been put in charge of anything, seeing how many students had been signed up to go home. The houselves had done a spectacular job, though, making the inside of the castle look like it was made of crystal.

They bid each other good night in whispers, Hermione suddenly nervous about the next morning. Doubts about her gift were starting to set in. _What if he doesn't like it? I doubt it measures up to anything else he owns… _Draco, on the other hand, was nervous up until he opened the door to his room and saw the package from the flower shop on his bed. He'd almost begun to panic that the flower wouldn't arrive in time for Christmas. Suddenly calmer about the next day, he arranged the gift the way he wanted, knowing it would appear with the rest of Hermione's gifts the next morning. He made sure he would wake up in time to see her reaction to his gift. All he could do now was hope she would like it. For the first time in a while, Draco slept without waking once in the night.

The next morning, Hermione awoke to the glare of the light outside, reflecting off the snow. She stretched, trying to wake herself up while at the same time unwilling to leave her bed. When she finally did, she realized it was Christmas. Her presents hadn't been placed in the room, meaning that Draco's hadn't either. She quickly pulled on a pair of longer pajama pants and rushed to the common room. On the floor in front of the fireplace, her stack of gifts, topped off by what she knew would be a sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Across from her gifts, she saw the gift she'd bought for Draco, off to the side, marking what should have been his stack of gifts.

They met each other on the stairs, and walked down together. Hermione noticed the look on his face, sorrow mixed with something else. She knew exactly how he felt. She wanted to reach out and take his hand, but her nerves kept her from doing it. She wasn't as bold as he was. They settled onto the couch, and she caught the look of surprise on his face at the lone gift in green wrapping. He picked it up, then looked at her with a question in his eyes. She averted her eyes, suddenly nervous again at what he would think of the gift.

"Open it," she said in a small voice. She watched his hands as he carefully unwrapped the gift. Tossing the paper off to the side, he revealed the bookmark. She struggled to look at his face, but was finally able to, meeting his eyes. Nerves suddenly overcame her. "I-I didn't know what to get you…and I saw this, and thought it would be good…If you don't like it, I understand." She rushed through her words, with only slight pauses between her sentences. He placed a hand on her cheek, stopping her trail of words. He closed the space between them and brought her into a hug.

"Why wouldn't I like it? It's incredible Hermione, thank you." She beamed up at him, hugging him back. "Now it's your turn. You should start opening your gifts." He urged her to do so, and she did. Starting with the traditional sweater, she also received a book on Quidditch from Harry, a new comb from Ginny, and a card from Lupin and Tonks. She wasn't expecting any more gifts, but at the bottom of the pile lay a rectangular package, a shape she knew well-a book. However, there was another beside it, a thinner rectangular box, something Hermione couldn't guess at. Sje looked at her companion questioningly, but he simply urged her to open them.

She chose the larger of the two first, eager to know what book it was. Opening it, she was met with the hardcover of the newest edition of _Hogwarts: A History_. She gave him the widest smile he'd ever seen. Draco watched as Hermione's eyes widened as she looked through the book, skimming the pages. He chuckled as she nearly engrossed herself in it, forgetting about the second gift that lay waiting. He picked up the small box and placed it on the open book, so as to bring her attention back to it. A small exclamation escaped her lips. She seemed to have completely forgotten it.

Delicately opening the box, she placed the top on the table in front of the, and gasped as she saw what was inside. It had to be the most beautiful crimson rose she'd ever seen. She could tell it was enchanted, and saw the label on the box. It was an everlasting flower, something she knew to be extremely expensive due to the complexity of the spell to make them.

"Draco…it's beautiful." She didn't know what else to say. Placing it back into the box on the table, she could only smile at him. Suddenly, a sharp 'pop' was heard inside the room. Hermione looked around to see if a houself had come to clean up the wrapping papers on the floor. Hermione didn't see any of them, though, and simply heard the second pop as she assumed the elf disappeared. Draco, on the other hand, immediately caught sight of Dobby. The small elf gestured for the Slytherin to look above his and Hermione's heads. Gray eyes widening, he caught sight of the mistletoe. _That Dobby…he's so…strange, for a houself. _

Hermione's eyes went back to Draco, and she saw he was looking at something above them. She reacted similarly to him at the sight of the small Christmas plant. It hung above them in midair. It seemed a houself had taken it upon itself to place one above the heads of the Head Boy and Girl. The significance of the event hit Hermione like a slap on the face. Neither one of them would be able to leave the couch unless they kissed. When he looked back down to Hermione's eyes, Draco was slightly blushing. The young witch, however, was beet red.

"Um…" She wanted to say something, but the small smile on Draco's face stopped her. _He _wants_ to?_ Hermione watched as Draco placed his hand on her cheek and leaned his face in towards her, their lips touching lightly. At the small pressure, the Gryffindor's heart skipped, her eyes fluttering closed with the contact. It took her a moment to respond, the situation having taken her completely by surprise. Draco almost panicked at her lack of response, but he immediately relaxed when she did. He placed his other arm around her, and she leaned further into him. Hermione's mind was reeling, never would she have thought that he'd still be kissing her. They both felt when the charm of the mistletoe had stopped working, as soon as their lips had touched. Neither one of them wanted to let go, though.

Hermione's hands had made their way to his neck, holding him to her. She'd never had a real kiss, not like this one. She didn't have feelings for the guys she had kissed before. Draco was unlike all of them, and the irony of it struck her. She'd always believed her first real kiss would have been with Ron. Clearly, she was worse at Divination than she'd ever expected. Any thought of Ron in that moment, though, was completely gone from her mind. She was absorbed in thoughts of the blond that held her, their hearts beating in tune to one another.

Draco couldn't believe Dobby. Had he known all along? That elf really was a weird one. He made a mental note to thank his previous houself later. Never could he have imagined what it would have been like to hold her this way. It was the same, yet completely different from all their other embraces. While they had all been intimate, nothing compared to this kiss, the way their arms went around each other. He never wanted to let go, but knew now, more than ever, that this was too good to last. That was all the more reason to hold on, to extend this moment for as long as he could. He felt her sigh, and he deepened the kiss, holding her closer still. His heart ached, with the fear of losing her. With that final thought, the passion with which he kissed her grew.

When they finally parted, they were both breathing heavily. Hermione shut her eyes tight, willing the moment to last, to never end, like her flower. She buried her face in his neck, holding him.

"Happy Christmas, Draco." He kissed her forehead in response, and Hermione finally realized that that gesture had never been brotherly. He'd been just as nervous about his actions as she had, holding back for her sake. In that moment they had a mutual understanding**.** Everything he did now, was for her.

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_Thanks for reading!!! More to come soon!!!!!_

_:) Please Review!!!_


	16. Peace

_I know this is really really late....and not nearly as long as it should be, but I promise more will come as soon as I can punch it out! Yes....it is a filler, so don't say you haven't been warned!_

_Don't own it....you all know that lol....._

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Chapter 16: Peace

They stayed in each others' arms for a while, simply enjoying the comforting silence. There was no need to exchange words, no need to say anything at all. Hermione sighed, content. Thoughts of her parents came back, but she willed them to be happy memories. Her parents would be happy for her, that she had finally found someone, in Draco of all people, to comfort and hold her. They had never been the melancholy types, always making sure Hermione looked at the bright side of things. It took Draco holding her and kissing her for Hermione to realize this is what her parents had always meant, seeing the silver lining. She held him closer, knowing full well that a moment this perfect couldn't last forever, no matter how much of a positive thinker anyone is.

Draco was awestruck, completely beyond words. This embrace really wasn't any different from their previous ones, but at the same time held so much more meaning that it really was unlike all the others. He looked at the witch in his arms, how her eyes closed lightly, and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. He was afraid to break her, knowing that she never showed this vulnerability to anyone but him. Now he knew why. She was completely at ease with him, with every guard down. Draco was terrified of breaking that trust, and in that moment vowed to never hurt her. He sighed, the movement causing her to stir slightly and look up at him. She smiled, and it was the most incredible thing Draco had ever seen. That smile was his, and only his. He brought his lips to hers again for a light kiss, before finally speaking.

"We should go to breakfast..."

"Hmm..." All Hermione could do was hum, unwilling to leave the comfort of his arms just yet. She sighed, and her stomach suddenly made the loudest growling noise she'd ever heard. Her face went bright red.

"C'mon. We're both hungry." Draco chuckled. After running upstairs to quickly change out of their pajamas, they met back downstairs. As if second nature, he took her hand, lacing their fingers together. The gesture again made Hermione's heart skip. Of course, this wasn't something she was used to, and the giddiness wasn't about to leave for a while.

They were met by very little surprise when they entered the practically empty Great Hall. Most people had either skipped breakfast altogether or had already gone earlier. Due to the lack of Gryffindors, Hermione decided to sit with Draco at the Slytherin table. There was barely anyone of either house anyway. Draco caught McGonagall's eye, and saw that the elder witch was pleased with the turn of events, while Slughorn/Snape simply stared at them stoically, completely out of character-the real Slughorn would have praised and congratulated them immediately. They ate in comfortable silence, Hermione mulling over what her friends' reactions would be.

Ginny, of course, would be ecstatic, while Harry would probably just be happy for her. Ron, and yes, she still considered him a friend, would probably want to kill her. Not that she cared, though. She comforted herself with the fact that Draco's arm hadn't moved from around her since they'd sat down. His hand rested on her hip, and she loved the feel of being protected. Hermione had always been completely independent of anyone but her parents. At having lost them, it was comforting to know that she could rely on the blond beside her. Harry and Ginny would always be there for her, but she had never liked depending on her friends too much. After all, they had each other to worry about. After finishing her food, she leaned into his shoulder, waiting as he finished his own meal. The first thing on her agenda would be to write to Ginny about what had happened that morning.

When they got back to the common room, Hermione excused herself to go write her letter to Ginny. She was bubbling with excitement, still in a giddy shock at the turn of events. What were the chances that the houselves would put mistletoe right above their heads as they exchanged gifts? Beaming down at the parchment, she wrote for what felt like an eternity to her. Finally, she folded her letter up and went downstairs. Draco had been reading the copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ he'd gotten her.

"I'm going to the owlery. I'll be back in a few minutes." Draco looked up from the book and raised his eyebrow.

"Isn't it a bit cold up there to go like that?" Looking down at herself, she realized she only wore a light hoodie.

"Good point." She was about to go back up to her room, when Draco stopped her and went up himself. He came back with one of his thicker hoodies, placing it around her and making sure she was warm. Hermione could only smile up at him, heart skipping at the gesture. Again, it was no different that the first time he'd lent her a hoodie, yet held so much more, now that she knew the reason behind each little gesture. He caressed her face lightly, a feeling she was slowly getting used to, his touch lingering for a moment. He leaned down to place a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Now you can go." He winked at her, and Hermione found it difficult to explain the giddiness that bubbled in her. She was never one to let her emotions overrule her, yet she found it harder and harder to control herself, to keep herself calm. Not even Krum treated her the way Draco did. Sure, Viktor had been a gentleman, but his attraction had been more physical, much less emotional, than Draco's. She almost literally, if it had been possible, floated on cloud nine up to the owlery. Once her letter was sent, she practically rushed back to the common room.

Draco had never been this way with a girl before. Sure, he knew what they wanted to hear, and how they should be treated, but he never went out of his way to do things like he did for Hermione. She had changed him into a different person, and for the better. Everyone had always compared Draco to his father, saying how similar they are, and how the younger Malfoy was the spitting image of the elder. The young blond always felt repulsed at the similarities. _I am nothing like him. I will never be anything like him._ Draco knew, at one point, his father had not been a horrible person. Everyone starts off with a clean slate, right? That also held true for the Malfoys. Unfortunately for Lucius, he went down the wrong path extremely early in life. Draco wished he could somehow change it, but then he realized it would be no use, even if he could. _If things weren't the way they were, I wouldn't have Hermione._ At that thought Draco could feel his entire body grow cold.

He never wanted to imagine what it would be like not to have her. She had been his saving grace, the only entity strong enough to help him produce a Patronus. Draco chuckled to himself. _To think, that I ended up falling for the little muggleborn Gryffindor bookworm, of all people!_ That didn't bother him in the slightest, though. She was _his_ bookworm, after all, no one else's. _Take _that_ Weasley!_ He couldn't help but feel smug at the fact that he had what the redhead had always wanted. _I'll have to thank him later for being an idiot._ He couldn't help but wonder why the redhead was so unreasonable. After all, Draco had switched sides, hadn't he? Why couldn't Weasley accept that? He accepted Pansy, didn't he? Draco couldn't understand how Weasley could bear to be on Hermione's bad side. Granted, he didn't have feelings for her like Draco's, but even then, losing Hermione, if only as an ally, was a painful blow, let alone as a friend.

He always ended up thinking of losing her. He did his best to drive the thoughts away, but it was difficult. He'd already lost the first important person in his life, losing Hermione would be beyond painful for him. Despite their short time together, he'd learned to depend on her emotionally, and he knew the feeling was mutual. He needed her, on more than a romantic level. Emotionally, they were both wrecks, the losses they experienced taking a serious toll. No one but Hermione had been able to help Draco. Other Order members had attempted to help with the nightmares, even Snape, but to no avail. Draco had been completely out of focus until arriving at Hogwarts again, and having Hermione, even if it had been just as friends at first.

She came back from the owlery, smiling, and Draco realized he hadn't asked what she was sending. He had the distinct feeling it was about him, though, and knew that there would be an extremely ticked off redhead at the Order's hideout.

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_Well, I hope you guys aren't too upset with me....:/.....college takes its toll, and I don't have as much time as I wish I did to write._

_Please review!!! Much appreciated :)_


	17. Unveiled Apprehension

_Well, I know it's been quite the wait. However, now that Christmas break has arrived, I have all the time in the world to write, so expect several more chapters soon!! I believe the story may be coming to a closer within the next month or so. Thank you for waiting, and I apologize for the wait. An avid fanfic reader myself, it annoys me when authors don't update fast enough! So believe you me, it was agony not having time to write._

_Thanks again! Please R&R!!! Enjoy!_

_I don't own anything...SIGH...if I did, I sure wouldn't have to be in school, would I?_

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Chapter 17: Unveiled Apprehension

The excitement of the holidays came and went, New Year's being severely uneventful, and now a strange apprehension came over Draco and Hermione. The day after she sent her letter out to Ginny, Hermione received a response. Ginny, as Hermione had predicted, felt nothing but excitement and happiness at the new couple. She had not, however, told her brother or Harry. Both she and Hermione had thought it best for Hermione to be the one to tell them. Draco, on the other hand, had a whole new kind of fear that troubled his nights.

If the Dark Lord found out about this… It was bad enough that he already wanted Potter and anyone associated with him dead. This just put Hermione in twice as much danger, and Draco didn't want to think of what it would be like to lose another person he cared about. As far as Hermione knew, however, Draco's nightmares had ceased. He tried his best not to let her know they were just of a different kind now.

The day everyone came back to Hogwarts, Draco saw how nervous Hermione was. She was sitting in the common room, reading her new copy of _Hogwarts: A History_. He could tell she was nervous by how she bit her lip and played with a strand of hair as she read. The train would be arriving at the station in less than half an hour. He sat down, taking her into his arms.

"Relax…" He kissed her forehead, and Hermione couldn't help the butterflies that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her stomach. She knew Ron would be severely upset, but she had no idea what to expect from Harry. He had been fine with their friendship, but he was like an older brother, and very overprotective of her. Draco began to run his fingers through her hair, trying to relax her as much as himself. He kept waiting for it all to end, for him to receive some kind of letter threatening her life. He could only be kept from the Dark Lord for so long, after all.

"You know that's difficult…"

"I know…" Draco didn't really care what the rest of the world thought in regards to his relationships. "Everything will work out. I promise. Besides, if the Weasel has a problem with it, I can be very persuasive…" He tried to lighten the mood, but Hermione simply looked at him with a frown. She wanted nothing more than for them to get along. That didn't seem likely, though. "I was kidding." She clearly didn't appreciate his sense of humor. She sighed.

"I know. I just wish he didn't need to be persuaded…" Draco hated seeing Hermione this way, all because of Weasley. He didn't know what to say, so he did what came naturally and kissed her. Hermione sighed again, her apprehension leaving the minute their lips touched. She wished this feeling of calm would never go away, but she knew better. Something felt different in how he kissed her, though. It seemed sad, hesitant. Thoughts of losing Hermione ran through Draco more than ever in that moment. Once the rest of the student body found out, it was only a matter of time before it made its way to the Dark Lord. Hermione placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled away lightly. "Are you alright? You seem…worried." He closed his eyes, sighing slightly and pressing his forehead to hers. He couldn't bear to think what it would be like living without this feeling of closeness to her. As the thought itself crossed his mind, his chest tightened, and he struggled to breathe. No, the Dark Lord would NOT take his Hermione away from him. _I swear it_.

"It's just… I'm terrified of losing you." Hermione was taken aback by the tremble in his voice, something she never thought she would hear outside of his nightmares.

"That won't happen." She kissed him before getting up, pulling his hand up with her. "Come on, we should get going to dinner. May as well get this over with sooner rather than later." Draco nodded, standing and taking her into a quick embrace before they walked out of the room. Hermione did the math in her head and the rest of the student body would be arriving to dinner at the same time as she and Draco. With a deep breath neither of them realized they were taking, they walked towards the Great Hall.

Everyone else was streaming into the Great Hall when Hermione and Draco came into view. No one seemed to be paying much attention, too excited at being reunited with friends after the long break. They took advantage of this and blended into the crowd, never letting go of each other's hands. Neither one of them was interested in announcing their relationship to the world, but they weren't going to go out of their way to hide it. The way they both figured, if the crowd noticed, then good, if they didn't, then just as well. Draco's grip on Hermione's hand tightened, though, when the whispers began.

"_Is that…?_"

"_No way! They're…!_"

"_Hey, Malfoy and Granger are…"_

"Hey Hermione!" The whispers had begun to spread farther, and Hermione cringed at each one, but turned with a smile to greet Ginny. She was pulling Harry along by the hand, and greeted her friend with a one-armed hug, Hermione doing the same. Harry glanced down at her hand in Draco's, then looked up and nodded to the Slytherin with a comfortable smile, but a look in his eyes that said it all. _Hurt her and I'll hurt you._ Draco nodded back, a kind of male understanding going through the both of them. Hermione saw the exchange but didn't comment, simply happy that Harry had accepted them so easily. She gave him a hug as well, hoping that Ron, who was now friendly with Pansy, would accept it, too.

He was nowhere to be seen though, and for that Hermione was relieved. They flooded into the Great Hall, amid all the whispers and glances. Draco smirked at all the speculation around them. _I'll give them something to _really _whisper about_. He pulled Hermione to him before she let go of his hand to sit with her friends and snaked his arm around her waist. Placing a gentle kiss on her lips, he held her close. After a second he pulled back, smiling down at Hermione as her eyes brightened and she smiled back. Then the thundering yell flew into the hall.

"MALFOY! Get the HELL away from her!" He brandished his wand against the blonde, and Draco merely stood there, as difficult as it was for him. His yell had quieted the entire room, everyone eagerly awaiting what would happen next. Somewhere in the silence, Draco swore someone was placing bets. He had to keep from laughing. Another exclamation erupted from beside Draco, more frightening than the first, despite the difference in volume.

"Ronald! You will put that wand away. Right. Now!" She looked at him menacingly, and they could all see her tensing to reach for hers, but resisting the urge. Draco almost backed up, admiring the anger, and how the flush in her cheeks only enhanced her beauty.

"But Hermione! He was…!"

"Kissing me, Ronald, yes. If you have a problem with it, well, that's too bad now isn't it?" Her voice had calmed slightly, and Ron had lowered his wand when she stepped between the two boys.

"But he's a Malfoy, a Slytherin! A slimy little snake…!" At this, no one expected what happened next. Instead of a rebuttal from Hermione, or even Draco, the next words came from an entirely other source.

"Is that really all you think of us, Ron?" Everyone's gaze turned to look at Pansy, who had walked into the argument moments before Ron had said those words. Her voice had emerged quietly, just loud enough to carry through the room. Granted, she had never been particularly nice to Hermione, but she had made an effort of civility when her parents had died. Pansy had slowly been changing as well, seemingly following Draco's lead. She had extended her sympathies at Hermione's loss, and had withheld from insulting her for quite some time. As these thoughts ran through Hermione, she felt an ache in her chest at the girl's eyes.

Ron paled at her words, immediately recognizing his mistake. Hermione wanted to slap him across the face for being so stupid.

"Pansy…I…" She barely gave him time to breathe. In two quick steps, she closed the distance between them and slapped him.

"Grow up, Ron. I don't want to just be the exception to your 'I hate Slytherin' rule… If that's what you really think of us, then fine." With that final word, she brushed past him, but not before smiling congratulations at Draco and Hermione. The latter took this chance to place a hand on Pansy's arm.

"It'll be alright. He'll get over it," she whispered, seeing the Slytherin girl's teary eyes. She gave her a watery smile and left to join Blaise at the table. Off to the side, Hermione heard McGonagall taking five points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor. That seemed to be what snapped everyone back into what they were doing. The rest of the student body went back to their food and conversations, while Draco and Hermione parted ways to eat with their friends. She looked at him meaningfully, telling him with her eyes to try and help Blaise comfort Pansy.

She brushed past Ron before he could head for the table, whispering at him as she went, "Emotional range of a teaspoon." He knew better than to respond, lest he provoke McGonagall's wrath again. Hermione couldn't help but notice the look of hope on Lavender's face. She held back a twinge of disgust at the girl, and sat with Ginny and Harry. She watched as Draco and Blaise spoke to Pansy, the silent tears slipping out once in a while.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful, then again anything would be after a show like that. Ginny recounted stories of the Christmas break, Ron sat wallowing, and Harry simply ate, avoiding stirring up anything at all. It was a relief to them all when they finished eating and were able to part ways. None of them had wanted their first meal together of the new year to start with a fight.

Draco met Hermione at the door, and she easily placed her hand in his. It still astounded him that he had her. His heart faltered slightly at the touch of her hand, and he smiled to himself. _Weasely really is an idiot, first Hermione and now Pans_. He felt sorry for his fellow housemate. Sure, she could be annoying, but she was human, just like him. She had calmed down some before he'd left the table, and even offered him verbal congratulations.

By the time they were back at the dorms, Hermione felt exhausted. The last thing she had needed was to deal with Ron's immaturity. Fighting him always drained her, and she hated it. She saw the look of concern on Draco's face, and she tried to reassure him with a smile. They stopped in front of Hermione's room, and he turned to face her.

"It'll be alright. I think that went better than expected, to tell you the truth…" He offered her a weak smile.

"Yeah…" She looked downtrodden, and Draco hated seeing her this way. Taking her chin in his hand, he brought her face to look at him.

"He'll get over it." He kissed her, "Trust me, Pansy is _not_ someone whose bad side anyone wants to be on. She'll make him see reason." Hermione couldn't help but smile. Maybe she would be the one to finally turn Ron around. Draco kissed her again, this time lingering, moving his lips along hers gently. She responded in kind, placing her hands on his neck and pulling herself closer. His arms went around her protectively, and she sighed. They were like this for a while, Hermione finding herself backed against her door. Her arms had gone up around Draco's neck and his hands rested on her hips. When they pulled away, they both sounded breathless. "Good night." His voice was low, almost hoarse, and Hermione tried to ignore what it did to her insides, her heart fluttering. Draco's breathing tickled her lips.

"Good night." She tried, in turn, to keep her own voice in check, failing miserably. _Draco…who would have thought he'd make me feel like _this_? _Brushing her lips against his once more, she turned the doorknob and retreated into her room. She had to keep herself in check, not allow herself to get so carried away. Once the door was closed, she sat on the floor, resting her back against it. Hermione cared about Draco immensely, and she knew that his safety, or some of it, anyway, depended on her. That was her job, originally, and she couldn't help but think that the two would clash. Her duty as an Order member and her duty to her heart, and to the person it belonged, to would inevitably bring her to make a painful decision.

She tried to push the thoughts from her mind, but nothing she tried would help. Simply thinking about the way she fit in his arms brought to mind how easily she can be ripped away from them. As Hermione Granger, she made a commitment to help end the war. It came with being Harry Potter's best friend, along with being the brightest witch of her age. If the moment came, when the moment came, for her to act on that commitment, to leave with Harry to put a stop to the war, she didn't know if she would be able to. Would she be capable of leaving Draco behind?

Worse yet, would she be able to keep herself from asking him to go with her? Deep inside, Hermione felt the nervous urge to do so. She closed her eyes in another attempt to push the nightmarish thoughts out. If Draco went with them…yes, there's power in numbers, but Voldemort had it out for him nearly as much as Harry. It would only infuriate him that much more, and Dumbledore wasn't around to protect either of them. No, they would have to tread carefully, if she even dared to let Harry go after Voldemort at all.

"Stupid… What can I do? Close to nothing…" She sighed. There really was nothing she could do to fix the problems they called everyday lives. _What good is my mind if it can't find a solution?_ With that final thought she changed into a tank top and shorts, crawling under her sheets.

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_Once again, a ginormous (sp?) thanks to everyone who's still following this story, despite how long it takes me to update. Expect another chappy before the end of next week...maybe two chappies, if I find it unbearable to resist the plot bunnies my muse seems to love breeding. After that brief break from writing, it is safe to say : I'M BACK!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ;)_

_Please review!!! It's part of what keeps me going, as I've said before ;)....clickity click!!_


	18. Three Little Words

_Well folks, it looks like I'm back to updating non-stop :)...This may mean that this fic will be completed before the year is over! Now, that, dear friends, is very exciting news to me...since it will be the longest fic I've ever written, I kind of want to aim at making it reach 100 reviews, so please review!!! And, as always, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback I've already recieved for this fic! You guys keep me going! ;)_

_Disclaimer yadda yadda...I don't own it T__T...._

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Chapter 18: Three Little Words

_Running. She was running through the Forbidden Forest, hand in hand with Draco. Panic coursed through her, and she could hear the sounds of the battle around them. Even the centaurs had joined in on the fight, and she could hear their battle cries, as well. The air had an unnatural chill to it, and she knew those were the dementors floating above them, under the command of Voldemort. Suddenly Draco brought them to a halt, hiding within a hollow tree. He turned to face her._

"_Hermione, stay here. You'll be safe." He muttered a few protective spells and kissed her. She didn't want to let go, nor did she want to be left behind._

"_No. I can't just stay here!" But he had already left her, binding spells placed on the tree to keep her in place. She watched his retreating form, yelling his name. Whether anyone could hear her or not, she couldn't be sure. She struggled to counteract the spells he'd placed for her protection, but nothing worked. Her panic intensified with the feeling of helpless claustrophobia. She could still see him in the distance, when suddenly he stopped. There was another figure with him, brandishing its wand against him. She watched as they fought, unable to hear the spells but recognizing them by color._

_Her world shattered when she saw the flash of green. She hoped against hope that Draco had been the one to cast it, but her intelligence knew better. In that instant, she felt the spells he had cast lift from around her. She held in a sob as she ran towards him, ignoring the imminent danger she was also headed towards. The murderer was still there, but agony and fury kept her from noticing anything but Draco's motionless body on the ground, blank eyes staring at the sky. She turned to make the culprit pay, when she saw a centaur shoot an arrow through the figure's back. It fell, motionless, and she did the same, collapsing by Draco's body. Sobs shook her entire being, and she bent over his body, touching her tear-streaked cheek to his lifeless face._

"_Draco…no…I love you…"_

Hermione sat up in her bed, her face wet with tears at her horrible nightmare. She was hyperventilating, air coming in jagged breaths, her whole body shaking with the terror of it. There was no calming down at this point. She had to let the agony caused by the dream to run its course, until she could breathe again. Her lips were moving quickly, muttering something she didn't understand until her mind fully awakened.

"I love you…Don't die…" She repeated this endlessly, her mind finally registering her words. That was her heart speaking. She loved him, she realized this now, and how deep into it she'd really been. This was the point of no return for her. The pain in her chest wouldn't subside, and she yearned to go to his room, make sure he was there. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to be held by him, for him to never let go. Hermione heard his voice, then. His cry was agony, and she felt like it was that night with his nightmare again.

She slipped out of her bed, quickly crossing the distance between their rooms. His door was unlocked, and she silently slipped in, to see him thrashing under his sheets, groans of pain and discomfort occupying the room. She hurried to his side, gently sitting by him and placed a hand on his cheek, soothing him.

"Draco…shh…It's ok. Everything is ok." She was trying to convince herself as much as him. He began to calm down somewhat, his face no longer constricted in pain. She hadn't noticed it before, but her heart faltered as she saw that his face was almost as tear-streaked as hers. She wiped them away, the motion causing his eyes to flutter open. His tempest eyes met her chocolate ones, and even in the dark they could see the emotion behind both. Draco sat up slowly, never breaking eye contact. His arms slipped around her, and he pressed his forehead to hers. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Thank you, Hermione." Her breaths were jagged again, her nightmare coming to mind once more, and she feared it would never go away. She kissed him in response, their lips meeting tentatively, tenderly. Neither one of them wanted to risk too much. He pulled her closer, and their lips lingered on each other, when she finally pulled away and rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't want to leave, to risk another nightmare. His arms were her only comfort now. As if reading her mind, he whispered, "Stay with me." Draco's voice was hardly audible, the agony from whatever nightmare he'd had still lingering. She simply nodded in response, and he moved over in the bed, shifting them so she lay beside him, beneath the sheets.

Draco brought her closer to him, utterly unwilling to let her slip from his grasp, as she had in his nightmare. To have her ripped away from him like that in reality would tear him apart. He would lose a part of him, the best part of him, the only part that made him feel alive anymore. His eyes never left her face, watching as her soft gaze watched him. Instead of closing her eyes to sleep, she spoke.

"What was your nightmare about?" She saw the flash of pain in his eyes, and immediately regretted asking. She assumed it was the same as before, and hoped that perhaps talking about it would make him feel better.

"Losing you." Pain didn't leave his eyes, and she felt the agony at the thought of never seeing him again. In a way, they'd had the same nightmare. She closed what little distance remained between them and kissed him, trying to convince herself that this would never cease, that they would never be taken away from each other. He seemed to understand her message and only held her tighter. The passion that crossed between them was stifling, to the point where they had to stop to breathe properly. She was resting over him, leaning her forehead to his. His hand caressed her jaw, and Hermione both loved and hated what his touch did to her. She knew this wasn't the time to think this way, but she couldn't help the way her traitorous emotions reacted and controlled her.

"I dreamt you died, right in front of me." Her tears had begun again. She had to tell him the nightmare, or it would eat away at her. Draco wiped her tears, after a moment opting to kiss them away instead. He trailed his lips along her jaw, then down her neck and along her collarbone. She sighed, seeming to let out tension she hadn't realized was even there. Relaxing entirely in his arms, she let his lips brush against her skin as she placed her hands gingerly against his chest. He was shielding her with his body, and she'd never felt safer in any other embrace than she did in this one.

He made his way back up to her lips, then planted a soft kiss on her forehead. He shifted them so he was on his back again, and she placed her head on his chest, snuggling as close as she could and closing her eyes. One of his hands was in her hair, absentmindedly twirling a curl, while the other held her hand to his chest. She could feel how fast his heart beat, matching the pace of her own. Draco couldn't control the way his heart beat, as if it would erupt from his chest. He closed his eyes to take in the presence of the girl in his arms, the girl he was quickly realizing he'd fallen in love with. _I love you_.

He would give anything to be able to utter those words to her, whisper them in her ear. Insecurity kept him from acting on that impulse. Yes, the Slytherin Sex God was, in fact, insecure when it came to Hermione Granger. What if it was too soon for her? She clearly cared about him, but he didn't want to pressure her into saying she loved him. No, he would keep this to himself, for now. A moment like this, like what they had, was too perfect to risk over three little words. He would have to convey his feelings through actions, until he was sure he could say them out loud. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

"Good night Hermione."

"Good night Draco."

The next morning, Draco was the first to wake up. He looked down at Hermione and saw that she had not shifted from her place in his arms the entire night. His lack of a nightmare when he slept with Hermione also caught his attention, and he couldn't help but smile at that. The Slytherin Prince could get used to waking up with her in his arms. Breathing deeply, Hermione's mere presence overtook his senses, filling him completely. She didn't wake at the rise and fall of his chest, but merely shifted closer to him. He knew they had to get up for classes, so he quietly slipped away from underneath her arm. Draco watched as she slept, quietly breathing. A feeling of possession coursed through him, much like at the masquerade. She was his, and his alone. It felt unbelievably right to see her sleeping in his bed.

Before leaving the room, he knelt by her, the urge to confess his feelings nearly overwhelming him. He placed his lips by her ear and whispered, so softly he almost didn't hear it himself, "I love you…"

She didn't even stir. He knew she wouldn't hear him, but he hoped that perhaps her subconscious picked up on it, and that she would know, deep down, that he truly did love her. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and walked out of the room, knowing that they still had some time before their classes started. Leaving the room to shower, he closed it softly behind him.

A few moments later, Hermione awoke, a chill settling over her as her body registered that Draco was no longer there. She sat up, the memory of the previous night causing a flutter in her chest and a faint smile to cross her lips. Blood rushed to her face when she realized she'd slept in his bed with him, with a shirtless Draco. The sensations he caused in her couldn't be denied, and, judging by what happened the night before, she caused similar, if not identical, feelings within him. This caused yet another smile to cross her lips. Maybe everything would work out after all. After all the hell they'd been through due to Voldemort, they were overdue some good fortune by now.

Looking at the clock in his room, she saw she had time to fix her room before getting ready for class. She climbed out of his bed and left the room. Sounds coming from the bathroom told her he was in there, so she would wait in her room for her turn. With a soft smile on her lips she walked into her own room, knowing she would probably be sleeping in it less and less.

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_I know it's kinda short, and somewhat of a filler, but crucial in the development of Hermione and Draco's relationship._

_Thanks again for reading!! Please leave me a present? (review??)_


	19. Cooperation

_Here's chappy #19!!! I've actually read over it a few times, so I'm relatively sure it's grammar error free, but if it's not, then I apologize. This seems to be coming to a close soon, and I'm feeling somewhat bittersweet, and inclined to extend it more than neccessary. I can assure you, that probably won't happen. This fic will not go past 30 chapters, it probably won't even reach 25. However, don't hold me to that, since my plot bunnies may be planning an impromptu attack. I'm still working on how I want to do the final battle, and lots can happen between now and then. :)_

_Well, that was my rant for the day. Thank you very much for reading!!! :)_

_Disclaimer: sigh...not mine...sigh_

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Chapter 19: Cooperation

As the days passed, Hermione's intuition proved to be right. She tried to sleep in her own bed the day after she'd slept in Draco's. Every time she tried, however, she simply ended up awake in the middle of the night with a nightmare. When she would go to his room, Draco would be in a similar state, or just entirely awake, waiting for her. After a few days they both gave up on sleeping alone, and simply made it a habit to sleep in Draco's room. He was glad for the company, knowing long before Hermione that his nightmares were only kept at bay by her. It felt utterly right to hold her as she slept, and that thought somewhat frightened the young Slytherin. He knew he loved her, and knowing what it felt like to wake up with her every morning only intensified his fear of losing her.

As for Hermione, she felt the pain as just badly. Seeing Ron everyday, glaring at her, and how Pansy suffered because of Ron's thick-headedness, she felt more than ever how badly the odds were against them. In the day, it was easy to see it as merely a relationship which one of her best friends disapproved of, but at night that dread crept ever closer. As his arms wrapped around her, the very real danger of their reality sunk in as well. All she could do in those moments was turn around in his arms and let his lips dissolve her fear, instinctively knowing that the effect was mutual. Unfortunately the effect was also brief and fleeting, leaving the second they pulled away to sleep.

She tried to push these thoughts aside, tried to live in the moment. They both did, but nothing could distract them from the darkness of that moment before sleep would set in.

"Hey Hermione!" She was nearly jolted out of her seat by Ginny's voice. She turned to smile at the younger witch, glad for the distraction from her thoughts. Harry was nowhere to be seen, though. Neither was Ron. This worried her.

"Hey Gin…um, where are the boys? As much as Ron hates seeing me, he never misses a meal…" This really was strange, and her paranoid side wanted to point it out to McGonagall.

"They're in the common room. They went to the kitchens to grab a bite to eat. They have some homework to catch up on that they ignored over break." Believable, but Hermione still felt a creeping suspicion. Ginny sensed this and tried to calm her down. "Hermione, if they were planning something, I would have noticed."

"They're good liars, Ginny, and especially good at hiding things. Please, just keep an extra eye on them for me when I'm not around, ok?" The redhead nodded, then decided to change the conversation as Hermione turned to her food.

"So how are things with Malfoy?" The suggestive undertone was not lost on the elder Gryffindor.

"Good, thanks for asking." Hermione felt herself blush, though, and did her best to focus on the food in front of her.

"_Just_ 'good,' Hermione?" Ginny couldn't stifle her laugh, "Damn Granger, you must be more of a prude than I thought. Now, if Harry and I had a suite all to ourselves…" She trailed off.

"I really don't need you to tell me about yours and Harry's sexual lives." Ginny laughed at Hermione's obvious embarrassment. Ginny was always the honest type, even when it came to relationships. While Harry was very reserved, Ginny didn't care who knew what they did behind closed doors. In fact, she practically bragged about it.

"In all seriousness though, Hermione, you guys really haven't…?"

"No, we haven't. And if you _must _know, we _do_ sleep together, but not in the way you're thinking!" She couldn't help blushing severely at that, unknowingly letting it slip from her lips. Ginny beamed a mischievous smile at Hermione, unable to contain her laughter at the older witch's embarrassment.

"No need to be embarrassed, Hermione." Ginny gestured to the rest of the hall and then shifted her gaze to Draco. "There are few girls in this hall who _wouldn't_ have done something, or tried to anyway, by now." Again all Hermione could do was stare at her food. Ginny giggled incessantly.

The rest of the meal went by relatively quietly. Hermione only had one class left for the day, Arithmancy, and then she could attempt to relax in her room. Draco had Quidditch practice that afternoon, and they both had patrol duty after that. She caught his eye as she walked out the hall, and they exchanged a small smile. The rest of the school was still having a difficult time wrapping their heads around the idea.

After class, Hermione was sitting in her room, at her window, watching the practice from there. She saw the figure of a striking blond and smiled to herself. She was somewhat jealous of Draco, of the utter confidence he always seemed to display. _I suppose when you're brought up like royalty, you start acting like it._ She went back to finishing her homework, every now and then looking back up to find his figure in the distance. She managed to get all her work done before the practice was over, but decided to continue sitting there, bringing her legs to her chest and resting her chin on her knees.

She had always been jealous of Harry and Ron for being able to fly. Now she had one more person to be jealous of for it. It was the only ability she couldn't master, and even though she was more than happy with what she could do, it annoyed her. Her fear of heights was the only reason she couldn't fly, and it bothered her to know she couldn't get over it.

Dinner didn't hold the appeal it used to for Hermione. The lively conversation she would have with Harry, Ron, and Ginny was no longer there. Harry and Ron didn't even stay for the whole meal. Ron still looked miserable as ever but refused to do anything about it, while Harry seemed distracted. Hermione shot Ginny a warning glance and the younger witch nodded. At the same time, Draco watched the exchange, sure that something was wrong, more than was obvious. He was brought out of his observations by Blaise speaking to Pansy.

"It'll be alright Pans. He can't be more thick-headed than Draco." He smirked at his blond friend.

"He's right, Pansy. The Weasel and his friends fight all the time, and he always gets over it. He's just letting pride get in the way. Give his head some times to deflate." She offered them a small smile, nodding. Draco suddenly realized how strange the situation had truly become. He and Blaise were comforting a fellow Slytherin who was suffering over a Gryffindor, a WEASLEY of all people. He couldn't help but smile to himself.

"What's that for?" Pansy's voice held a tinge of amusement.

"The irony of the situation, that's all." His companions seemed to understand what he meant and smiled as well. Draco watched as Pansy scanned the Gryffindor table. He knew she wouldn't find Weasely there. Hermione was probably the only other person who had noticed how strangely he and Harry had been behaving. Draco had taken the liberty of watching them while they were in the halls, and there was something definitely off about them. They were as jittery and nervous as Draco had been the previous year. They were hiding something, and it only worried him that it involved the Dark Lord, and would, in turn, affect Hermione. Draco had noticed when they left, and decided to wait a few minutes before following them. Before he left the hall, he shot Hermione a smile, leaving her to speak with her friend.

Once he was outside the Great Hall, he broke into a run to catch up with the other two. He rounded a corner and saw their retreating backs as they were about to enter the portrait to what Draco assumed was the Gryffindor common room.

"Potter! Weasely!" They were caught off guard and nearly stumbled, turning to face the Slytherin.

"What do _you _want Malfoy?" Draco was surprised to see Weasley respond. He'd expected the redhead to ignore him.

"Calm down, Ron. What is it Malfoy?" Coming from Potter, the last name didn't drip any of the usual venom that came from Weasley. He caught up to them, stopping a few feet away.

"Whatever it is the two of you are up to, I want in."

"Sod off, ferret."

"What makes you think we're up to something?" Potter was better at hiding things than Weasely, but Draco could see it in the raven-haired boy's eyes that he was lying.

"It's obvious to anyone who's paying attention. I wouldn't be surprised if Hermione already suspects something. You might have the Weaselette fooled, but it's only a matter of time before Hermione catches on." Potter seemed to be thinking about Draco's suggestion.

"And what if we are? What's it to you?" Weasely seemed to be making an attempt at civility. Draco raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't comment, simply responding.

"Judging by how you're keeping it hidden from the girls, despite their skill and intelligence, it must mean whatever you are planning is dangerous. For the sake of Hermione's safety, I want in." At this, Weasely seemed skeptical. "Besides, I have my own agenda against Voldemort." This seemed to ease the skepticism in Weasely's gaze.

"Harry…do you think we can trust him?" Weasely never took his eyes off Draco.

"It's not like I'm right here or anything…didn't anyone ever teach you manners?" Potter and Weasley both ignored this, Potter still thinking. Draco watched, letting his comment drop. Finally, Potter spoke.

"Alright, if we tell you what we're going to do, how do you plan on helping? We're kind of on a time constraint, and it has to be done tonight."

"Hermione and I have patrol duty. I'm assuming you have to leave the castle in order to accomplish whatever it is you have planned?" They nodded. "Meet me at the Whomping Willow at midnight. I'll make sure Hermione and I start our patrol in the dungeons. That should be enough time for you to leave." Without any hesitation, Potter nodded. They agreed to explain everything to Draco once they were in the Shrieking Shack. He didn't mind in the slightest that he was going into this mostly blind. He knew whatever Potter had planned would only bring them that much closer to destroying Voldemort, and that's all he needed to know.

Hermione was sitting on the couch in the common room when Draco came through the portrait. She greeted him with a smile, but he could see she wanted to ask something.

"What kept you? I saw you leave the Great Hall before me." Draco was prepared with a lie.

"Caught a couple of fourth years fighting on the way here, so I took them to McGonagall's office so she could assign them detention." This seemed to appease her curiosity, so she simply nodded.

"Oh, ok then. Shall we go? I don't really want to stay up too late." He took her by the hand and they made their way to the dungeons. She didn't even ask why they were patrolling from there, since they had made it a habit to either start from the dungeons or the Astronomy Tower. They patrolled in comfortable silence, every now and again the silence being broken by an occasional comment or story. There were times when Draco's guilt began to eat away at him. Hermione didn't deserve to be lied to. At the same time, he knew it was for her protection, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her and not let go.

They were back in the common room around ten. Draco felt relief at the thought that he would at least be able to hold her while she fell asleep. Moments later, she was in his arms, breathing quietly. She was exhausted, and fell asleep quickly enough. Draco waited a few moments before being positive she was asleep. He was lucky to have learned that she was a heavy sleeper. Gracefully, he slipped out from the sheets. Making sure not to stir her, he placed her gently onto the pillow. He pulled on a shirt, pants, and a hoodie, then hovered over her a for a moment, the moon coming in through the window and highlighting her on the bed. She seemed at peace, and he felt horrible leaving her alone.

She needed him there as much as he needed her. He knelt so his lips were at her ear and, much like the first time, whispered those three little words again. He let his lips brush against her skin before standing upright and leaving the room as quickly as he could. He took the passage that led him out to the lake, and from there he quickly made his way towards the Whomping Willow. He could see two figures waiting for him there. As he approached them, Draco couldn't help but let his longing for Hermione sink deeper, but he knew he couldn't turn back. This would be for the sake of his future with her.

"Ready?" Weasley chose to ignore his presence. Potter simply nodded at the question.

_"Immobilus__!"_ The Whomping Willow stopped moving long enough for them to slip underneath it.

"So what's the plan, exactly?" Still, Weasley pretended he wasn't there.

"We spent the break at the Order's hideout, and overheard some of the older members discussing something. They were talking about the possibility of where the last Horcrux is. Apparently some intelligence leaked from Voldemort's followers. Looks like you and Snape aren't the only reformers. Someone leaked that the location of the final Horcrux is in Hogsmeade, more specifically, in the Shrieking Shack. Not only that, but there are supposed to be Death Eaters there tonight, retrieving it for Voldemort." A piece of Voldemort, one of his Horcruxes, had been under their nose this whole time! Draco was sick to his stomach at the thought that the small village would be overrun by Death Eaters that night.

"Wait, won't there be Order members there tonight? If we're not caught by Death Eaters, we'll be caught by them."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take. This is my fight, Malfoy. It's more than just about beating the bad guy for me, or being the Hero. This man ruined my life. I imagine it's similar for you?" Draco simply nodded. He knew they were being reckless, and that this was exactly what Hermione had been trying to prevent, but he'd be damned if he didn't do something about it when he got the chance.

"So what's the Horcrux? Do you know?" By the time Draco asked this, they had already emerged inside the Shrieking Shack.

"We're not entirely sure."

"You're kidding. Are you telling me we're going into this BLIND?!" Draco could hardly contain his frustration. _Bloody Gryffindor idiots…what if Hermione had come with them? Are they always this reckless?_

"Not completely. We know it's one of Riddle's old school things. Trust me, I'll know when we see it. My scar always hurts when he's near, so it makes sense that it would hurt if we're near a Horcrux." Draco's hand immediately went up to his forearm. If what Potter said was true, his scar wasn't the only thing that would react to the Horcrux's presence. He rolled up his sleeves, the skin where the Dark Mark had been beginning to tingle slightly. Discomfort from the mark he could handle, having it reappear, he could not.

He'd kept this a secret from Hermione the entire time. Yes, he no longer visibly had the Mark, but it was still in him. Dumbledore had given McGonagall a counter curse he'd developed, which would cloud the Mark's beacon-like qualities. The Mark was how Voldemort kept track of his followers. Through the counter curse Dumbledore was able to conceal the Mark and also disable its properties. If he came too close to Voldemort, however, the Mark would activate again, and there would be no hiding then, not unless he could get back to Hogwarts.

Now the discomfort in his arm began to increase as they traveled the house. They'd decided not to split up, knowing that if they ran into Death Eaters they would be better off with each other than without. They had started in the basement, practically ransacking the entire area. They found nothing, so they made their way throughout the rest of the house. By the time they reached the second floor, the discomfort in Draco's arm grew worse, and he could see Potter struggling with the pain from his scar. Potter's eyes darted to Draco's arm, and this motion was not lost on the Slytherin. They made eye contact, and a kind of understanding traveled between them again. The entire exchange went unnoticed by Weasley.

Suddenly, there was a crash downstairs. A voice floated up to them, a voice Draco knew all too well. He heard the whole house being ransacked.

"Don't bother searching the house! It's in the attic." At that last word, the three Hogwarts students didn't even bother looking at each other. They made their way up to the attic, trying to be quiet, yet knowing they were on the worst time restriction ever.

Draco didn't want to think of what would happen if they didn't reach that Horcrux before Lucius.

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_Dun dun duuuun!!! Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I couldn't help it. This just seemed like too much of a perfect spot to end the chapter. Don't worry, the wait won't be long for the next chapter *cross fingers*-hehe_

_Anyway, please review!! I'd love to hear some feedback!! Reviews are like oxygen to a writer-they keep us going. *clickity-click?*_


	20. Chaos

_Here's chapter #20. I'm not really proud of this one. I was unfocused when I wrote it, but I looked over it more times than I should have lol. It's been revamped and everything from its original draft, so I hope it's at least likeable. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I WISH I was as brilliant as JKR...alas, the best I can do is borrow characters._

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Chapter 20: Chaos

_Draco's embrace was pure warmth, and she loved the way she fit against him. As soon as their lips touched, she let her hands go up around his neck. His hands skimmed down the sides of her body, and she sighed at the sensations he caused in her. He deepened the kiss, tightening his arms around her. Hermione was in pure bliss, her head spinning. He began to trail kisses along her jaw, down her neck. After making a trail of heat along her collarbone, he made his way back up, this time, stopping by her ear._

"_I love you." Hermione's breath caught, heart stumbling. Before she had the chance to respond, he brushed his lips along her skin once more, and then he was gone. She looked around the room, the moonlight suddenly gone. An unbelievable emptiness overtook her. Her heart began to pound, as panic set in. Where was he? She gathered the sheets around her, a chill settling into her. He was no longer there to keep the cold, the nightmares, at bay._

Hermione's eyes shot open, and she immediately realized that she was not lying against Draco's body. She had been hugging her pillow, and at this realization a whole new panic set into her. She sat up, hoping that he had simply gone out for a moment. With tension riddling her body, she slipped out of bed, making her way out of the room. She tried to ignore what his absence did to the feeling in her stomach. He wasn't anywhere in the common room, or in the bathroom either. Suddenly, she felt her Dumbledore's Army coin get warm. Her heart sank.

That day at dinner, after the boys had left the hall, Hermione and Ginny had come up with a plan. Both girls still had their DA coins, so Hermione had Ginny sneak into the boys' dorms and dig out their coins. She altered the coins so that Harry and Ron's would activate if they left the school grounds. Ginny placed them back in the rooms, charming them so the coins attached themselves to the two boys' shoes the next time they walked into the room. It was guaranteed that they would be kept track of. As soon as the coins were outside the grounds, Ginny and Hermione would both be alerted. The girls made sure to have this complete before it was time for Hermione to patrol. She wasn't considered the smartest witch of her age for no reason.

Now she just wished she would have been smart enough to put a tracer on Draco, as well. It never even crossed her mind that he would leave with Ron and Harry. That was the only explanation for him missing, though. Ginny rushed into the common room, and Hermione could see the look on her face from her spot on the staircase. They both held their coins, and Hermione knew she felt the warmth from the coin as more of a burn than anything else.

"We have to tell McGonagall." Hermione forced herself to focus. Thoughts of Draco threatened to overwhelm her, and the only thing she could do was try to think of her job.

"There isn't enough time Hermione! I've sent the little girl in your portrait to tell her. We don't have time to wait, though, we don't even know where they are…"

"Why would they have left? What do they know that the rest of us don't? If anyone knows where they are, it's McGonagall." Suddenly, Olivia appeared in a portrait above the fireplace.

"Miss Granger, the Headmistress wants you and Miss Weasley in her office."

"There's no time, Olivia! The longer we wait, the farther away the others get." Hermione was beginning to panic. If she followed the order to see McGonagall, she might lose her chance to find the boys. As she stood there, at war with herself, Dumbledore appeared behind Olivia.

"Miss Granger, Order members are already on the way."

"But professor! Please…let me go. Tell me where they are. You gave me this job for a reason! They're my responsibility." This seemed to convince the former headmaster of Hogwarts. He hesitated momentarily, but something he saw in Hermione made him think better of his hesitation. Like an indulgent grandfather, he simply nodded and spoke.

"The Shrieking Shack. They're after a Horcrux that may be hidden there." Hermione felt her heart sink for what felt like the millionth time that night.

"Thank you professor!" She said this as she rushed to her room, grabbing a pair of jeans and her hoodie, hardly caring about the January air outside. She was down the stairs and out the portrait hole faster than she thought possible. She'd taken Ginny by the hand and was leading her to the passageway that would drop them off by the lake. "Brace yourself," were her last words before jumping down the slide in front of Ginny. The redhead was close behind her, and they only stopped momentarily before running across the grounds and to the tree. Hermione simply waved her wand at it, not even bothering to say the spell aloud. She was so focused on her goal that she didn't even notice her perfectly performed silent spell.

The two girls slid into the trunk and broke into an all out run. Hermione's heart was pounding, urging her to move faster. Ginny could hardly keep up, but she didn't dare ask her friend to slow down. She nearly knocked into Hermione when the elder witch came to an abrupt halt. They were in the basement of the Shrieking Shack. It should have been quiet, but the young Gryffindors heard a distinct voice above them.

"Don't bother searching the house! It's in the attic!" That voice sent chills down Hermione's spine at its familiarity. _It couldn't be…he's in Azkaban! If he finds Draco…_ She felt herself about to collapse. He couldn't take Draco from her, he couldn't! Beside her, Ginny began to whisper.

"What are we going to do!? If Lucius…"

"Don't. Please don't even suggest it." She held her hand up to stop her friend. What were they going to do? There was no way they could reach the attic undetected. The entire house practically thundered with the footsteps of the Death Eaters above them. Hermione could only think of one thing to do. "Take my hand, close your eyes." The younger witch did as she was told, knowing Hermione meant to Apparate. She wouldn't be able to Apparate to the attic directly, but she could at least make it to the third floor bedroom. She'd read about the house in a brochure of Hogsmeade, and the picture of that particular room stood out, very similar to the one where Sirius had taken Ron in their third year. In less than a second, the ghost of the popping noise was all that was left in the basement.

She pulled Ginny beside her, pressing them both against the wall. Hermione peeked out the door, and saw three distinct figures by the door to the attic. A flash of blonde stood out the most. Harry and Ron were with him. They managed to open the door, and Hermione saw this as the perfect chance to follow them, the Death Eaters still making their way through the second floor. She never thought she would be so grateful for the cover of night. She pulled Ginny behind her, and the two girls managed to slip into the room behind them. Hermione shut the door, immediately putting up wards against the Death Eaters. They climbed up another set of stairs and crossed another door, Hermione once again shutting it and putting up wards. She concentrated on putting up more wards, knowing that the first door wouldn't buy them much time. Ginny immediate ran to Harry and Ron.

"What do the two of you think you're doing?!" She threw her arms around Harry first, kissing him, and then hugging Ron. "You know you're supposed to stay on the grounds! There are Death Eaters here!" Hermione's attention immediately went to Draco, who was clutching his arm in pain. Harry's sounds of discomfort caught her attention, too. He was pressing his hand against the scar.

"What's wrong, what happened?" Hermione's eyes searched Draco's, he seemed to be trying very hard to keep her from seeing his arm. She closed the distance between them, and saw what he was hiding. His normally pale, perfect skin was being marred by a black Mark, slowly starting to appear, burning into him. "Draco…" She began to back away, horror creeping into her at the sight of the Mark. Draco couldn't look at her, couldn't breathe. She seemed to collect herself, though, determination and focus were the only things he recognized in her eyes.

"Hermione…"

"Not now. We need to find the Horcrux." As if to emphasize her point, they all heard the loud incantations from the Death Eaters, trying to break the first door down. Pain coursed through Draco, and he was no longer sure if it was just coming from the Mark, or if it had to do with the way Hermione looked at him. The five of them split up, looking in ever corner of the attic, trying to find the last Horcrux. Draco made sure to stay near Hermione, though, in case the Death Eaters broke through. Time seemed to speed up when they began to search. Within minutes, the Death Eaters had penetrated the first wards, and Draco could hear them working on the second door. He wanted nothing more than to stop looking for the Horcrux and take Hermione away from the danger.

All Hermione could think of was getting her job done. Draco had lied, he led her to believe he didn't have the Mark! She couldn't let that distract her, no matter how much it hurt. What else had he kept hidden from her? Her mind was in shambles, so much so, that she didn't realize when she bumped into a large cabinet. She nearly fell over, but Draco was there to catch her, almost immediately. She avoided looking at him, looking instead to what had fallen out of the cabinet. Suddenly Draco let go, a cry of pain coming from him.

His arm was throbbing. Whatever fell out of the cabinet had to be the last Horcrux. Potter was beside them within seconds, wincing from the pain in his scar. It was a broom, a flying broom. The model of it was quite old. The name _Tom Marvolo Riddle_was inscribed on the side; it must have been Voldemort's old broom from his Hogwarts days. There was no doubt about it, this was what they had come to look for. Draco tried to reach for it, but the closer he got, the more unbearable the pain became. The same held for Potter; neither one of them could touch it. Hermione reached for it, taking it by the handle. As soon as she touched it, however, pain exploded through every pore of her being. She let out a cry unlike any they'd ever heard. It was enough for Draco to forget his own pain, and lift her into his arms. The two Weasleys seemed to have the same idea at the same time.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Between the two of them, they got through whatever other protections may have been on the Horcrux, and were able to lift it and keep it as far away from Potter and Draco as possible. The Slytherin looked down at the girl in his arms. She had nearly passed out, and seemed to be coming back, but he couldn't let her go. Just then, the final wards she'd placed on the door were broken, and Lucius, flanked by four Death Eaters, stood before them. Draco did everything he could to protect Hermione.

"Draco! Don't tell me you've taken up with _their_ lot."

"Better them than a monster who killed my mother!" The mention of Narcissa didn't even cause a reaction in the elder Malfoy. He simply looked straight at Draco, wand raised.

"_Confringo!_" Harry cast the spell directly at the Death Eaters, too fast to give them a chance to react. Lucius and the others were blasted back, the wall of the house falling away with them. They landed on the second story.

"We have to leave. Now." Hermione struggled to get out of Draco's arms. "Put me down. I can walk." The only way they could get back to the castle now was to go through the forest. They couldn't risk giving the Death Eaters the entrance through the Whomping Willow. "Ginny, Ron, send that broom outside. We have to Apparate out of here and go back on foot, through the Forbidden Forest. We can't risk the Death Eaters following us back through the passage." They looked panicked, but knew better than to question Hermione's logic. Yes, the Forbidden Forest was dangerous, but the danger would be just as real for the Death Eaters as for them.

In seconds, they had Apparated, Ron taking Ginny with him and the both of them took up the task of carrying the Horcrux, while Hermione, Harry, and Draco steered clear from it. Running, they were able to reach the outer edge of the forest, right by the grounds of the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Draco did their best to ignore the discomfort and pain caused by the old broom, while Hermione searched her mind for a faster way to Hogwarts.

"_Lumos!_" They lit the tips of their wands, Hermione leading the path, Ron and Ginny behind her, with Draco and Harry bringing up the rear. All they could do was run, knowing the direction Hogwarts was in. It was impossible to tell how far they'd gotten before the Death Eaters caught up. They were in a dark clearing, barely any moonlight shining through the canopy of grisly trees. Snow had begun to fall in small flurries, patches of white scattered throughout the forest floor. Surrounded on all sides, Ginny and Ron were forced to let the broom down, the five students creating a protective circle around it. The discomfort in Harry and Draco grew worse, but they both ignored it.

Without warning, the Death Eaters began to hurl jinxes and curses at the students. They held their ground, throwing up shields immediately. Curses were being thrown left and right, and Draco was forced to move, and his father decided to follow after. He didn't even bother speaking. Draco seemed to be just another opponent to him. One spell hit him square in the chest, knocking him back against a tree.

"Draco!" Hermione's voice rang through the trees, and she rushed to where she had seen the two Malfoys go. She'd knocked out one of the other Death Eaters. Despite her fear at the Mark, it changed nothing, and the nightmare she had came to mind. She saw as he was thrown back against the tree. She shot a curse a Lucius, but he easily deflected it. It was enough to shift his attention, though, giving Draco time to recover. Lucius sent a few hexes her way, making her struggle to keep from being hit. Why wasn't he using the Killing Curse? It seemed he was interested in making them suffer.

"Hermione, run! Go back to the others!" Draco was up by now, shooting spells at his father. Lucius ignored his son, bombarding Hermione. She managed to dodge more spells, but the Horcrux had taken a toll on her, and she was weaker than she should have been. Lucius managed to get her with one more spell, knocking her against another tree, causing her to hit her head off a rock. Hermione's vision went blurry, and she was beginning to pass out. All she could hear was Draco's voice, calling her name.

Draco watched as Hermione's body went limp. Lucius saw that she had passed out, and was about to cast one more spell her way. Draco did the only thing he could think of.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" The dragon erupted from the tip of his wand, the light blinding both him, and Lucius. Draco's dragon went to stand protectively around Hermione, working as the perfect shield against any of Lucius' spells. The elder Malfoy did not give up, though, continuing to to send curses her way.

"_Crucio!_" He could have tried to end it quickly, but he was only interested in making her suffer, making Draco suffer. The dragon lessened the blow of the curse, but Draco could still see Hermione moan in discomfort. That was enough to push him overboard. In a rage, he attacked his father. He was too angry, too focused on keeping the Patronus alive, to be effective, however. His father was toying with him, playing a game of cat and mouse. The younger Malfoy tried to put more distance between his father and Hermione, but, despite his patronus, Lucius was unwilling to move from his spot.

"He killed your wife! How could you still support him?"

"She was weak, disobeyed orders…she deserved her fate!" Disgust for the man before him filled Draco. He wanted to make this man suffer, the only thing holding him back from killing him was the fact that Lucius was his father.

Suddenly, flashes of white erupted around them.

"It's ok, Draco! I've got her, go back to the others." He heard the distinct voice of his cousin, Tonks. He looked at his dragon, seeing as Tonks approached Hermione's body, and saw his cousin hovering over her, gathering her. Beside him appeared Snape and Lupin, ready to take on Lucius.

"It's alright, Draco. You should go." They stood between him and Lucius, human shields from his father. Relief washed through Draco, and with the relief, his Patronus disappeared. The young Malfoy nearly collapsed with exhaustion, but he knew he couldn't allow himself any moment of weakness. He had to get Hermione out of there.

"Severus! How far you've fallen!" Snape chose to ignore his comment and simply attacked. Draco did as the older members said and headed back towards where Potter and the Weasleys were, but not before making his way towards Tonks.

"Is she…?"

"She'll be ok." Draco looked down at the limp girl in her arms, and a jolt of pain shot through him. He'd helped Potter and Weasley for the sole purpose of protecting this girl, and it had completely backfired.

"Let me take her, please. I just…" _I want to hold her, keep her safe_. Tonks seemed to think about this for a bit, before letting him take Hermione.

"Go straight back to the castle, you hear? Apparate back to the Shrieking Shack." Draco simply nodded, taking Hermione gently into his embrace. He ran as fast as he could to the others, noticing that there were Order members fending off the other Death Eaters as well.

"Back to the Shrieking Shack!" Potter, and the two Weasleys looked at him and saw Hermione's limp form. They nodded, Potter taking the younger Weasley with him, while the elder left on his own. In a second, they were back in the house.

"_Accio _Riddle's Broom!" Within moments, the broom came crashing through the window, and the Weasleys once again took up the task of transporting it. Potter led the way through the tunnel, ensuring that the Whomping Willow stayed still long enough for them to crawl through the opening. Once they were a safe distance from the willow, they stopped, practically collapsing. The broom fell to the ground beside the elder Weasley, and Draco suddenly had an idea.

"Potter, the Whomping Willow, use it to break the broom. It'll obliterate it." There was nothing the Whomping Willow couldn't break, and that broom was no exception. Both Weasleys sent the broom towards the branches, and they all watched as it thrashed the broom to splinters, breaking any magic that may have come along with it. Draco immediately felt the pain in his arm leave, the Mark fading considerably, simply leaving a faint outline on his skin. The splinters fell around them, like a shower of wood shavings, mixing into the snow around them. Both Draco and Harry could feel Voldemort's presence fading, and that was assurance enough that the Horcrux had been successfully destroyed. They took a breather, giving themselves a chance to recuperate. Draco's exhaustion was catching up to him, and he was forced to hand Hermione over to Potter. Suddenly, he saw the flash of a spell emerge from the base of the tree, aimed at the elder of the two Weasleys. He threw a shield charm, at the same time jumping to push the redhead out of the way.

"Weasley _move!_" Draco managed to get him out of the way, but was partially hit with the curse, whatever it had been, while the shield charm took most of the blow. Weasley simply looked on, dumbstruck.

"_Stupefy!_" Ginny's spell hit the attacker, another Death Eater, right in the chest, and the body fell limp beneath the Whomping Willow, just out of reach of its branches. Ginny retrieved the body, and all Draco could do was watch. He was quickly losing consciousness, whatever that spell had been, it was clearly meant to incapacitate completely.

"Malfoy…"

"Thank me later." He managed to close some of the distance between him and Potter, who still held Hermione. "She needs to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Malfoy, I think you both do." That was the last thing he heard, before collapsing completely.

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_Again, I know this wasn't my best work. Please review! I'd really like some feedback on this chapter in particular. Thanks again for all the support!!!_

_I love you all!!! Please review??? I know that kind of gets annoying to see lol. :)_


	21. Mourning

_This is my Christmas gift to you all. I am actually quite happy with how this chapter turned out. I was going to make it longer, and just couple it with the next chapter, but you'll see why I didn't. I had it finished last night, but wasn't sure whether I wanted to add more on, as I mentioned before. Ending it where I did guarantees another chappy coming soon!! Before the weekend I hope...lol._

_Disclaimer: don't own it..._

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Chapter 21: Mourning

Hermione awoke to the sound of murmurs around her. The last thing she recalled before passing out was fighting Lucius, and then, faintly, a large silver dragon protecting her, Draco's Patronus.

She wasn't in her bed, but in a stiff cot. The feeling was like when she awoke from being petrified by the Basilisk. She was in the Hospital Wing, the smell of medicinal potions surrounding her. It was dark, and as her eyes fluttered open, she could make out the outlines of a shadow hovering over her. She heard Draco's voice, faraway, and strained to hear him more clearly. Her vision cleared some, and she was able to make out the outline of Ginny's face, her hair a fiery red halo in the dim light.

"Hermione! You're ok! Guys, she's waking up!" Blinking a few times, the faces of Harry and Ron came into view. She searched frantically for a pair of gray eyes and the platinum blond locks that went with them. She sat up, looking around the room, but not seeing him anywhere.

"You gave us a horrible scare, 'Mione!" Harry's eyes were filled with concern, Ron standing beside him, simply nodding.

"How are you feeling?" She was surprised to hear Ron speak. Hermione had to bite back a stinging comment, as she realized Draco had rubbed off on her. She smiled softly instead, and responded in her usual way.

"I'm fine. A bit groggy, but otherwise alright." They all sighed, relieved. Madame Pomfrey appeared out of seemingly nowhere, fussing over Ron and Harry.

"Mr. Weasley! Get back to your cot! Your cuts are still not fully healed!" Hermione hadn't noticed it before, but his face was scratched up somewhat badly, probably a product of their fight with the Death Eaters. Healing cuts shouldn't have been a problem for the medi-witch, so Hermione suspected there was strange magic behind whatever spell had caused them. Ron looked frustrated, crossing his arms in front of him and moping back to his cot, across the room from Hermione's. "You too, Mr. Potter." Harry was in much the same condition as Ron, so he, too, was forced back to his cot, which was beside Ron's.

"Looks like you were the lucky one." Ginny shrugged, glaring daggers at her brother and Harry.

"Yeah, because those two didn't think I was capable of handling myself and found it necessary to treat me like a child. I'll show them next time." The last comment was muttered under her breath, but the two boys immediately responded.

"There won't be a next time!" She simply rolled her eyes.

"Ginny…where's Draco?" At the mention of the Slytherin's name, Harry and Ron immediately quieted, and Ginny went paler than she already was. The younger witch stood, moving to face the cot behind her, which was shielded by a curtain. Hermione hadn't noticed it before. Ginny looked to Pomfrey for permission to draw the curtain. The medi-witch nodded, a solemn look on her face. Hermione felt her heart drop at the sight before her.

Draco was on the previously hidden cot, deathly still and just as pale. Completely motionless, he looked like death itself. Hermione immediately hurried to his side, stumbling off her bed. Ginny went to help her, but the older Gryffindor refused the aid. She immediately sat at his side, resting a hand on his bare chest. The rise and fall was the only indication that he was still alive, that and his steady, soft heartbeat beneath her hand. Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. She caught sight of the faded Mark on his arm, her heart stumbling. He had lied, and she wanted to reprimand him for it, but more than anything she wanted him to wake up, just so he could hold her again and explain why he'd lied.

"W-What happened?" She hated the feeling of her voice cracking in her throat.

"He intercepted a spell that was aimed at me." Again, Hermione was surprised at Ron speaking. "He used a shield charm, but it seemed to only lessen the hit. We don't know what the spell was, though."

"It may have been a variation of _Stupefy_, simply stronger, much stronger I think. A regular _Stupefy_ would have been absorbed by the shield charm completely." Ginny finished Ron's thought. _An altered stupification spell?_ This only worried Hermione more. If they didn't know what the spell had been, how was Pomfrey supposed to wake him up? As if reading her mind, the medi-witch interjected her own thoughts.

"We will have to wait and have him awaken on his own. I assure you Miss Granger, I am doing everything in my power to help him." Hermione simply nodded, but it didn't stop worry from erupting in her, constricting her throat and causing tears to run. Draco was in a coma, and there was nothing Hermione could do about it. She took a deep breath, running her fingertips along Draco's cheek, willing him to react to her touch, to move, even to just twitch. Nothing happened, and her heart sunk ever lower. Ginny moved to comfort her friend, putting an arm around her.

"It'll be ok. He'll pull through. Malfoy is a lot stronger than he lets on. You should have seen him fighting, Hermione! It was incredible, the way he protected you; wouldn't let you out of his sight." This caused a small smile to pull at the corners of Hermione's mouth. Her heart still ached, however, to see his eyes flutter open at her touch.

She sat by him like that for the rest of the night. Come morning, Ginny tried to make her leave for breakfast, but Hermione couldn't bring herself to leave Draco. Instead, Ginny decided to run down to the kitchens and bring food up for the four of them. When she came back, she wasn't alone.

"Ron!" The voice was familiar, and Hermione smiled at the sight of Pansy, knowing how worried she probably was about the redhead, despite their fight. The Slytherin girl rushed to Ron's side, throwing her arms around his neck, making him wince.

"Hey Pans." Hermione smiled at the way Ron's face blushed. Pansy pulled back, placing a light kiss on his lips. "I-I'm sorry. I was being stupid…" He rambled off on an extended apology, and Hermione was glad to see his ego deflating enough to apologize. Pansy simply sat beside him and listened. Once he was done, she kissed him again. She whispered something in his ear, causing him to smile. Then, she made her way towards Hermione and Draco.

"Drake…oh my…Hermione…what…?"

"I don't know. He's alive, but barely. Coma." Pansy's face mirrored the worry on Hermione's. She may not have romantic feelings for him anymore, but she loved him like a brother. Converted Slytherins had to stick together, after all. She placed a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder. Both girls let out a sigh, urging for Draco to wake up.

The next few weeks were spent in anticipation of Draco waking up. McGonagall had assured them that the Horcrux, had, in fact been destroyed. Three days after Hermione woke up, Ron and Harry were allowed to leave the Hospital Wing, Hermione having been ok to leave the day she awoke. She barely ever left the Hospital Wing though. When she wasn't in class, she was sitting by Draco's cot, doing her homework while watching him rest. She even ignored as many of her Head duties as she could, assigning the Prefects extra patrols, cutting her own patrols down to twice a week, when she would usually do four or five. Every day she was there the hope that he would wake up dwindled further.

Hermione stopped asking Madame Pomfrey questions about Draco's condition after the first week. Her answer was always the same: only time could tell. He never moved from his limp position, eyes always closed. Watching him like this became increasingly difficult for the young witch. She didn't leave his side until Madame Pomfrey forced her out of the Hospital Wing. Because she was Head Girl, she was allowed later than the usual hours, but the medi-witch still made sure she was gone by one o'clock in the morning. Hermione would return to the Head dormitories each night, knowing she was in for another sleepless night.

Her friends saw her only in class. They saw the shadows underneath her eyes, how pale she'd become. She was always tired, and seeing her like this affected Ron the worst. She was like this because Draco had been hit protecting _him_, of all people. Ron felt beyond guilty, knowing that maybe he could have done something to prevent it. If he'd seen the spell coming, if he'd reacted sooner, Draco wouldn't have had to intervene. Hermione didn't blame him, though. She did her best not to let him see her, knowing what she looked like and how his guilt was eating at him. Every chance he got, he would apologize.

After the third week of Draco's coma, she'd had enough of waiting around, deciding instead to try to do something about it. Using her status as Head Girl to her advantage, she gained access to the restricted section of the library, looking up every revival spell and potion she could find. However, every time she would go to try something new, Madame Pomfrey would catch her, informing her that she had, in fact, already tried it. This didn't help Hermione's hopes.

The night of her final attempt to help, Hermione went back to the dorms in even worse spirits than usual. She though for sure that she'd be able to do something, but again she could only curse her intelligence. _What good am I if I can't even save the man I love?_ She wished it was as easy as in the fairy tales of her days as a child. Draco could be the sleeping beauty, and she would wake him with a kiss. Unfortunately, real-life magic wasn't like that, and there was absolutely nothing she could do. She went to bed in that state of mind, feeling completely helpless, alone, and lost without Draco to hold her.

"_Hermione…" He breathed her name._ _Hermione was sitting alone in her room, unable to sleep. In the doorway stood Draco, his form gaunt, his eyes completely exhausted. She rushed to him, catching him before he collapsed. They slowly made their way to her bed, and he lay in her arms, Hermione cradling his upper body. She couldn't stop the flow of tears._

"_Draco…come back…please, wake up…I need you…" She kissed him, wanting him to respond, but his lips were cold, and he lay unmoving. She pulled back, watching as his gray eyes looked at her, unfocused, not really seeing her. Suddenly, the fog in his eyes seemed to lift, and his hand made its way up to her cheeks._

"_I'm here…always will be…I love you…" His voice was softer than ever, and Hermione had to strain to hear the last words._

"_I love you too…Draco, please…why won't you wake up?" The ghost of a smile formed on his lips, and he wiped a tear from Hermione's cheek._

"_Don't lose faith in me, Hermione…" In her arms, he disappeared, and she was alone again. Emptiness overtook her, and there was nothing she could do to keep it away. _

She shot upright in her bed, cold sweat dripping down her back. Breathing heavily, she tried to recollect herself. It had been a dream. She looked around her room, flooded in moonlight. The snow outside only intensified the light, and she had to look away until her eyes readjusted to it. She sighed. It was so hard not to lose faith…

She couldn't sit in her room any longer, getting up, she slipped on a pair of slippers and walked out. She opted to sit on the couch, staring at the fire in the hearth. This only made the feeling worse, but it was better than sitting in her room. Sitting on the couch reminded her of her parents, of losing them, and how Draco had comforted her. Their first kiss came to mind, how the mistletoe had appeared out of nowhere, the way she had fit into his arms perfectly. Without realizing it, she'd begun to cry again.

"Granger get a grip! He wouldn't want you to cry…" She sighed, the feeling of helplessness difficult to fight off. She knew she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep that night, so she made her way back to her room, grabbed a hoodie, and left the Heads' dorm, heading for the infirmary. The door was locked, but it wasn't something that would stop Hermione. "_Alohamora_." She heard the soft 'click' of the lock, and let herself inside. She was careful not to make any noise on her way to Draco's cot. She sat on the stool beside his cot, inching it closer so she could rest her head beside his.

She kept her hand on his chest, needing to know that he was still alive. His heartbeat hadn't changed in the month he'd been in the hospital.

"Draco…why won't you wake up? What did that Death Eater do to you? I miss you…please come back…" She caught sight of the outline of the Mark on his arm, and her pain began changing into anger, and Hermione could no longer contain herself. She shot up, beginning to pace by his bed. "How could you do this, Malfoy?! Lie to me and then leave before explaining! Do you hear me, Malfoy?! You better come back…or I'll…I'll…" She cried out in frustration, no longer caring if Pomfrey heard or not. She couldn't help the way her chest hurt, how she wanted badly for him to wake up so her yelling wouldn't be in vain. "Stupid ferret…" She was in tears again. "You left before I could tell you I love you! Do you hear me?! You can't leave, you can't!"

There was a resounding silence around her. She was so focused on reprimanding the comatose Slytherin in front of her that she never noticed Madame Pomfrey come in, watching her from afar. The elder witch looked on sadly, thinking better of making Hermione leave. Clearly the young witch was in extreme emotional pain, and the medi-witch didn't think it was right to force her to leave. Hermione collapsed onto the stool by the bed, slamming her fist onto the mattress, continuing to cry out.

"Stupid ferret…I'll never forgive you if you don't wake up! Malfoy! Wake up, dammit! Wake. Up!" With each plea her fist hit the mattress. On the last two words, her hand fell limp on his chest. She was shaking in frustration, so focused on willing him awake that she almost didn't hear, or feel, the thunderous roar of an explosion within the castle.

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_DUN DUN DUUUUUN....Another cliffy!! I can assure you, there will be action ahead, since I was dissatisfied with the action in the previous chapter._

_Thanks for reading!!! Happy Holidays!!! I love you all!!! Review pretty please?? *click* ;)_


	22. War

_Here's #22...Happy Holidays!! Thanks for reviewing my story so far...it's soon coming to a close._

_In response to _**Happy**'s _review: Thanks for the review. I agree, the idea of Draco Malfoy sacrificing himself is laughable, but so is about everything else I wrote into this story about him. Falling in love with a muggleborn? -more than laughable. And I did read the books. If you don't want to read about Draco Malfoy being out of character, then don't read HGxDM fics-they're bound to make BOTH characters act unlike themselves._

_Thanks again for reading!! Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

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Chapter 22: War

Her head shot up as she looked around, panic beginning to course through her. _What was that?_ She saw Madame Pomfrey advancing towards her, determination written all over her face.

"Madame Pomfrey, I can explain!" Despite everything, Hermione was not interested in getting into trouble.

"Not now Miss Granger! We have to get you and Mr. Malfoy to a safe place. Follow me!" The medi-witch charmed the cot to fly, and pulled Hermione along by the hand, leading them towards the back of the infirmary, where Hermione assumed her office must be. It was too dark for Hermione to make out anything but vague forms. There was a desk off to their right, behind it a chair and a shelf with books. Those were the only definite objects she could make out, however. Everything else, she assumed due to their strange shapes, must have been medical equipment. Pomfrey released her arm and pulled something on the wall. The bookshelf pushed itself back into the wall and shifted to the side, disappearing and revealing a dark passage.

"Madame Pomfrey, where does that…?"

"The hallway to the Room of Requirement. Come on." Again she dragged the young witch along, floating Draco in front of her. "Light your wand, dear." At the older witch's command, Hermione lit her wand, and the passage behind them closed. They continued to walk for a few more minutes, before appearing in the all too familiar hallway. The door to the Room of Requirement opened immediately, and Pomfrey led the way inside. Hermione saw that it had been stocked with supplies in case of a disaster. It frightened Hermione that the medi-witch had been so prepared. Dumbledore must have left her instructions. "Miss Granger, we must round up the prefects and have them bring the youngest students here. I'll alert the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, take care of the others." Hermione nodded, watching as the older witch hurried out.

Before leaving, she turned back to Draco, squeezing his hand. She noticed Madame Pomfrey had placed his wand beside him.

"Please be awake when I come back." She searched for some kind of reaction, but nothing happened. Anger boiled inside her again, and she was determined to hunt down his father and make him pay. Unfortunately, the Death Eaters had left soon after the Horcrux had been destroyed, the only one left behind was the one whose attack Draco had intercepted. Because that one was in Azkaban, the second best Hermione could go after was the elder Malfoy himself. There was no other explanation of who was behind the explosion inside Hogwarts.

Hermione bent down and placed a light kiss on his lips, trying to ignore how cold they'd become. She rushed out of the room, watching as the door disappeared, guaranteeing Draco's safety. Pulling out her wand, Hermione headed first for Gryffindor tower. She reached it just as the portrait hole was opening, but no one was emerging. That could only mean one thing. She reached out and pulled at the Invisibility Cloak.

"Ron, get the kids, we need to get them to the Room of Requirement. Find Neville as well." They both looked shocked at the lack of being yelled at for trying to sneak out. "Don't just stand there! Move! And when you reach the room, wish for a place for emergencies." Ron rushed back into the common room, hurrying to round up the older students to help. Hermione and Harry followed behind. In moments, the room was full, and Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were hurrying the students out, as Ron and Neville, with the help of other seventh years, led them through the halls. "Ginny, go with them. Make sure they're safe."

Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map, scanning the school for the intruders. They scanned the names flooding into the main hall. The kids on the way to the room would be safe, but getting the Slytherins would be a problem. All the major Death Eaters' names were on the map, beginning to move through the castle. Bellatrix was headed for Gryffindor tower, Malfoy close behind her. Greyback was making his way towards the infirmary, and Hermione silently thanked Pomfrey for getting her and Draco out. The Crabbes and Goyles were there as well, and they were headed towards the dungeons.

Once the kids were safely out of sight, Hermione took Harry's arm and pulled him towards the passageway that led to the dungeons. They would be able to fight off the four Death Eaters with Pansy and Blaise helping them. The only task of importance was getting the kids up to the Room of Requirement. They reached the dungeons just before the Death Eaters, and luckily Pansy and Blaise were emerging from the hole in the wall that led to their common room.

"Hermione, Harry, what's going on?" Breathless, Hermione responded.

"Death Eaters. We have to get the youngest kids out. Crabbe and Goyle junior and senior are on their way here." The two Slytherins flinched at the names of their old friends. Without a second thought, however, they ushered the Gryffindors into their common room, where some of the kids were already filing in. Hermione felt slightly awkward, knowing she was probably the first muggleborn in history to ever step foot inside the Slytherin dungeons. With leadership Hermione wasn't aware Pansy possessed, she rounded all the kids up, Blaise helping her. Harry pulled out the map again, seeing that the Death Eaters were nearly on them.

"We have to get rid of them first. We can't risk taking the kids out with them in the way." Pansy left a sixth year Prefect in charge, and the four seventh years walked out of the passage, wands ready. In merely seconds they were face to face with the former Slytherins.

"Sorry mates, I'm afraid we can't let you pass." Blaise was already shooting spells, trying to disarm instead of kill. The two elder Death Eaters were eager to kill, however. Two _Avada_'s barely missed Hermione and Pansy, both girls immediately retaliating.

"_Stupefy!_" The girls hurled the curse at the two elder Death Eaters, hitting them square in the chest. Both large men fell, momentarily distracting their sons long enough for Harry and Blaise to gain the advantage. Within seconds, all four Death Eaters were knocked out, and Blaise conjured a rope to tie them together, taking their wands from them as well. Each one of them took an extra wand, pocketing them. Blaise and Pansy quickly ushered the children out of the common room, and the four elder students led them out, towards the Great Hall.

By a stroke of luck, the hall was clear, and they were able to advance further. As they were about to reach the second floor, Order members began flooding into the castle, causing relief to flood into the four students. Lupin walked up to Harry, asking for the map. After a quick glance at it, most of the Order members dispersed, and Hermione was surprised to see Molly and Arthur Weasley among the crowd. However, she wasn't surprised at the two Weasleys that approached them.

"Finally, some action!"

"What's the plan, Harry?" Fred and George were too excited for the situation, Hermione had to hold back a small grin. They could make anything into entertainment.

"We need to get these kids to the Room of Requirement, but we can't risk putting them in danger by confronting Death Eaters on the way." Both twins had pensive looks on their faces. A moment later, an idea seemed to strike them both at the same time. Looking at each other, they smirked.

"Let's see that map, Harry." They examined it. Another smirk later, they both pointed at a spot on the parchment. "Right there. If you can make it to Gryffindor tower, which you should be fine with, doesn't look like there are any Death Eaters on their way there, you can take a passage that is through a portrait of an old witch. It will leave you right by the Room of Requirement. Funny, isn't it? How so many passages can leave you off by there?" Hermione smiled her thanks, and they parted ways, the twins saluting them and heading in the opposite direction.

They made it to Gryffindor tower without a problem, which worried Hermione. They had seen Bellatrix and Malfoy head in the direction of Gryffindor tower. They couldn't have gotten far. They had to be careful. All the kids crowded into the secret passageway, Hermione and Harry being the last. Just as Hermione was about to enter it, she heard a voice from behind.

"Well, well, if it isn't the mudblood!" The voice made Hermione's skin crawl. She turned to face Lucius, wand at the ready.

"Hermione…" Harry's voice was worried, knowing that the need for revenge coursed through her.

"I'll be fine, Harry. Go. Remember where you're going." Reluctant but obedient,. Harry did as he was told. The portrait shut behind the young witch, and the hallway was empty except for her and the eldest Malfoy.

"So where is my blood traitor, coward of a son?" Hermione's rage increased tenfold at the insults.

"He's braver than you could ever hope to be!" Without further speech, she waved her wand, attacking him immediately. Surprised, he was thrown back against a wall, but it was only enough to shake him. Several of the portraits on the wall toppled over him. He stood, indignant, dusting himself off.

He attacked her then, shooting a spell that Hermione couldn't recognize without hearing the incantation. She shifted aside, but not before the spell was able to nip her shoulder. Her hoodie caught fire, and she quickly put it out with the tip of her wand. Despite her effort, though, it left a burn mark on her skin. She winced at the pain, but showed no indication of slowing down her attacks, continuing despite her shoulder.

This time the elder Malfoy was not fooled by her silence, and readily sent up a shield charm, blocking her attack completely. She continued to attack, sending every offensive spell she knew at him. A few hit their mark, but not enough to slow him down. By the end of her barrage, the worst he had was a bleeding nose and disheveled robes, having been thrown back a few more times. She was caught off guard by his next spell.

"_Crucio!_" A thousand painful needles shot through Hermione. Her mind was in shambles, unable to focus on anything but the pain. She heard someone cry out in the distance, not realizing that it was, in fact, her own voice she heard. She collapsed onto the floor, the pain of the stone scraping her skin nothing compared to the Cruciatus. Pain was all she could feel or think. It went from a steady pain to an escalating one, getting worse by the second. Her mind was flooded with the sensation, and she struggled to break the surface of it as she drowned in the Cruciatus.

"D-Draco…" Her voice was hoarse from yelling in excruciating pain. He was just above the surface of the pain in her mind. She could see him in her mind's eye, reaching towards her. Thoughts of him tried to break through, to distract from the pain.

"He isn't here, mudblood. I had hoped my son would know better than to associate with filth like you…" She didn't understand his words, only hearing the tone of disgust emanating from his voice. Her eyesight was blurred by tears, and she could barely make out the Death Eater's form hovering over her. Lucius drew closer, intensifying the curse. At the purposeful flick of his wand, Hermione called out in pain again, her voice reverberating through the castle walls.

"_D-Draco…_" He could hear commotion around him. Something was happening. One moment he'd been listening to Hermione yell at him, the next he'd been carried off by Pomfrey and left alone. He knew he was in the Room of Requirement, having heard Pomfrey mention it. He could hear everything. The past month, every time Hermione spoke to him, he'd been itching to respond, but nothing he did could get his body to react to her. He felt every touch, heard every word. Above all, he heard the agonizing yell of pain that broke through the commotion, coming from somewhere in the castle. Someone was under the Cruciatus, he was sure of it.

She had kissed him before leaving, tried to will him to wake up once more, and from the moment he heard her plead with his motionless body, he had tried to wake up. He was aware of everything, every little sound, smell, and sensation. He had wanted nothing more than to wake up, explain everything to her, hold her. The curse he'd been hit with had completely incapacitated his body, however, and he couldn't make himself move. Madame Pomfrey had kept him healthy, keeping him alive, but something still kept him from moving. He felt empty, void of the magic that was the same as his life force. Throughout the month he could feel himself slowly gaining some of it back, but he had no idea when it would all return to him.

Again the cry of agony echoed through the castle, Draco's heart sinking at the realization that it was Hermione. He heard Potter's voice beside him, speaking most likely to the other Gryffindors.

"Hermione…we have to go help her. She's fighting Malfoy." _You left her alone?! WITH MY FATHER?! _He wanted to yell at the reckless Gryffindors, wanted nothing more than to bash Potter's face against the wall for leaving Hermione to fend for herself against one of the most dangerous Death Eaters. Draco heard the rustling of papers, and a small gasp he recognized as Pansy's.

"It's…"

"Bellatrix." Longbottom finished Blaise's sentence, pure venom in his voice, something Draco was not accustomed to hearing from the normally shy Gryffindor. He heard footsteps, and could only assume that Longbottom left the room, to find wherever he believed Draco's insane aunt was.

"Someone go with him. We can't let him fight her alone." A momentary pause.

"We'll go. Come on, Luna." That was Blaise's voice. He heard as the unlikely couple left, leaving Potter, Pansy and the Weasleys. Draco struggled to make his body move, but nothing worked. He needed to find Hermione, needed to protect her. Another agonizing cry echoed through the walls of the castle, aimed straight for Draco's heart. He could feel it shatter little by little. He strained to open his eyes, to move his arms.

Pansy gasped again, this time because of what she was looking at. Draco's body was emanating a strange kind of energy, some kind of barrier seemed to shatter, and the blonde Slytherin shot upright in the bed, gasping for air. He felt his magic coursing through him, somehow having recovered it in one sweep. It nearly overwhelmed him. A month without his full powers left him feeling strange, recovering them feeling even stranger. He did a quick check of the room, realizing that all the students must have been gathered there. He had heard Pomfrey return with half the student body, later noticing when the Gryffindors arrived, the Slytherins being the last.

"Malfoy! You're…" He held a hand up to the elder Weasley.

"Not now." A strange kind of pain coursed through his body, but he ignored it. He gripped his wand, standing and facing Potter. "Where is she? Where's Hermione?" The look in Draco's eyes seemed to be enough to convince Potter to tell Draco, and to let him go after her himself.

"Gryffindor tower." That was all the Slytherin needed to hear. He nodded at the Gryffindors and his fellow housemate before leaving, taking a shortcut he knew would leave him exactly where Hermione was. He noticed that the others had followed him out, but had split up in different directions, probably to go help the rest of the Order.

He emerged in the hall he knew his father was in. The sight before him making his stomach turn.

Hermione was lying on the ground, no longer calling out in pain, her voice gone. She was writhing, her body constricting in the horrible pain that was the Cruciatus. Suddenly her body went limp, and he could see his father lowering his wand. He kicked her, Hermione not even reacting to this new pain.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!" Draco waved his wand, throwing his father out of the way, knocking him against the far wall. He ran to Hermione, taking her in his arms. "Hermione…stay with me…I'm here…Love, please stay with me." She stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open, then closing almost immediately. He kissed her, whispering, "I love you too…" He set her down gently when he realized Lucius was getting back up.

"You don't really care about her, do you Draco? She's a mudblood! The worst kind of filth there is." The elder Malfoy wore a sneer on his face, contempt for Hermione clear in his voice.

"Shut up." Again, Draco attacked, but Lucius was ready, dodging swiftly and retaliating just as fast.

"That is no way to speak to your father, Draco." He sent a curse towards his son, the younger Malfoy too distracted by his words to move swiftly enough. The attack hit him square in the chest, the magic cutting him like a knife. Memories of _Sectumsempra_ came back to him.

"My father died a long time ago." Draco sent a similar spell Lucius' way, the elder getting hit in the shoulder. He was slowing down, and Draco noticed. He just needed to bide more time. No more words were exchanged between father and son. Nothing but spells and curses. In a moment of weakness, Lucius faltered, giving Draco the opportunity he needed to end it.

"_Crucio!_" He couldn't bring himself to kill the man that had once been his father. Death was too good for the likes of him, too merciful, and he knew Azkaban was a much better punishment for someone like Lucius. It didn't take much for the curse to make the eldest Malfoy collapse. Draco immediately bound his body, taking his wand away in the process, pocketing it. Seeing the man's limp, bound form, it suddenly struck Draco how intimidating the oldest Malfoy had once been, and how much he had looked up to him. He pushed the thoughts of his childhood away, looking for Hermoine.

He gathered her into his arms, pleased to see that she was starting to stir a bit on her own. Suddenly, the Weasley twins came around the corner. They took one look at the scene and simply nodded to Draco, taking Lucius' body away, to wherever it was the Order was taking its prisoners.

As gently as he could, he took Hermione to the Room of Requirement. Gasps and whispers welcomed the couple, people immediately clearing a path towards the bed that Draco had once inhabited. By the time he lay her down, her eyes had opened completely.

Hermione thought she was dreaming, or that the Cruciatus had finally taken its toll on her mind completely. Standing over her was an angel. His gray eyes bore into her chocolate ones, and reality seemed to crash into Hermione in one fell swoop. Along with that crash came a booming voice.

"COME OUT POTTER!! WHEREVER YOU ARE!" Hermione's heart sank at the sound of the snake-like voice. Lord Voldemort was inside the castle walls. She had to find Harry, she had to help him. She sat up, trying to climb off the cot.

"Harry, I have to help Harry." Draco saw her wince with the effort of moving, and immediately went to stop her.

"You need to rest, Hermione. Please." Her heart skipped at his voice, and for the first time she truly realized he was really there.

"Draco…" She let herself slide off the cot and brought her arms around his neck, pulling herself as close to him as she could. Draco's arms went around her in kind, letting her warmth overtake him. She pulled away quickly, though, at the feel of the blood on his chest, the gash there. He had to hold her up to keep her from falling. "W-What did he do to you?"

"Just a scratch." Hermione immediately pulled out her wand to mend it. It scarred pretty badly, a side effect of whatever spell had been used to cause it. After a moment she looked back up at Draco, pleading with her eyes.

"We-I have to help Harry. Please, let me go."

"You can barely stand! I can't let you go back out there. I almost lost you twice, Hermione…that was enough. If you died…" His voice caught, and the pain was visible in his eyes. Hermione couldn't bear to see him that way, but she also couldn't bear to hide while Harry fought Voldemort. She needed to be there for him.

"Draco…" She placed a hand on his cheek, and he closed his eyes, reveling in her touch. He didn't know what he would have done if she'd been killed by Lucius. "Please. He's one of my best friends. I _have _to be there for him. He might be Harry Potter, but he can't do it alone. Even if I just have to stand there and watch. I know it's his fight, but he needs his friends to be there." A war was raging inside Draco, much like the one happening in the halls of Hogwarts. He couldn't just let her leave, but if he went with her it'd be the same. He would still be exposing her to danger. What if he couldn't protect her again? With a sigh, he responded.

"Alright, but I'm going with you." She looked like she was about to argue. He pressed his lips against hers to stop whatever words she was about to utter. Filled with passion, need, the kiss was different from any they'd shared before. Hermione didn't hesitate in moving her lips against his. The sensation that there had been a possibility of never feeling this again nearly overwhelmed her. When Draco finally pulled away, they were both breathless. "No. I'm going with you and don't even think about arguing it. I'm never letting you out of my sight again." The conviction in his voice made Hermione's heart falter. All she could do was offer him a small smile, as they both made their way out of the Room of Requirement, against the protests of Madame Pomfrey.

Thanks to Draco's knowledge of passages, they found Harry and Voldemort in mere moments. It looked like he had been waiting for the younger wizard in the Great Hall. From the looks of everyone around them, the Order was winning. Neville, Luna, and Blaise could be seen off to the side, guarding the body of Bellatrix Lestrange. Several other Order members were in much the same position. Voldemort had underestimated the Order's numbers. Outside, Hermione could hear the centaurs cheering in victory. Whatever creatures Voldemort had persuaded to his side seemed to have lost the fight.

No words were exchanged between Voldemort and Harry. They wasted no time in starting the duel, Voldemort casting the first spell, the Killing Curse. Harry swiftly dodged it, casting a spell of his own. Voldemort was quicker retaliating, however, using one arm to simply wave away Harry's attack and attacking again. The duel seemed to go on forever, and it became more of a game of cat and mouse, as Harry continuously dodged flashes of green light. Each missed attack jetted out a window, or collided into a wall.

Hermione was having trouble standing, unsure of whether she could watch for much longer. Her hands were clamped in front of her, as if she were praying. Draco held her against his chest, unknowingly pleading the same thing she was along with the rest of the Order. _Come on, Harry! You _have_ to win… _Voldemort seemed to be getting tired of toying with Harry. The young Gryffindor was growing exhausted, anyone with eyes could see that, and Draco didn't think he would be able to dodge another _Avada Kedavra_. All Harry did was dodge and run, avoiding attacks. His movements began to change, however. Draco noticed it, unsure of whether anyone else did.

Potter was preparing to attack, trying to find a weakness or opening in the Dark Lord's stance. The opportunity appeared moments later, and The Boy Who Lived took his chance, aiming his wand and yelling, "_Avada Kedavra!_" Unwittingly, Voldemort attacked simultaneously, a spectacular flash of green light illuminating the whole hall as the two curses collided. The wands seemed to connect with magical energy, both wizards fighting to win the upper hand. _They're nearly even matched…_ The thought did not appeal to Hermione, but she had to admit it to herself.

Then, in a burst of energy, Harry called out, seemingly releasing a burst of magic with his voice, upsetting the balance between the wands. Voldemort was launched back, knocking against the wall, his now frail body falling limp to the floor.

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_Thanks for reading!! I know this was a bit longer than usual, but I wanted to punch out the final battle as soon as I could. Expect maybe 2 or 3 more chapters, and it'll be over. Thanks again!! Please review?? Comments, suggestions, anything is welcome! :)_


	23. Recovering Normalcy

_Well, this is the second to last installment of **Dumbledore's Wish**. I hoped you have all liked it so far. Just the epilogue left after this, and we're done!! Woo hoo! I'm feeling kind of bittersweet...*sniffle*....Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!!!_

_Disclaimer: Of course I don't own HP....wouldn't be writing fanfiction if I did....sigh...._

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Chapter 23: Recovering Normalcy

Silence fell like a blanket onto the Great Hall. That only lasted a second, however, when Hermione heard a cry of pain from behind her. Actually, the cries of pain were everywhere, Draco's standing out the most. His arms fell from around her, his entire body collapsing to the stone floor. Doubled over in pain, he clutched his arm. The discomfort had been there throughout the fight, but it escalated to excruciating pain the second that curse hit Voldemort. He wasn't the only one feeling it, either. Every Death Eater in the room felt the Mark burning.

The pain coursed through his whole being, worse than any Cruciatus. Lord Voldemort was dead, and now all his Death Eaters, whether they had willingly taken the Dark Mark or not, were paying for it.

"Draco!" She knelt down beside him, pulling his hand away from the mark. She watched as the skull and snake darkened, as if becoming more permanent. The young Malfoy was squirming in pain, and all Hermione could do was watch, unsure of how to ease the pain. As the cries around her increased, the Mark darkened further. Just as quickly as the screams started, they abruptly stopped. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw the Mark fading, until it was nothing but a dim outline, a scar. Draco looked up, into her eyes, waiting for some kind of reaction. She had tears running down her cheeks. "It's finally over." Her voice croaked, and she threw her arms around Draco's neck.

Cheers erupted around the hall as everyone came to the realization that the Dark Lord was dead. Voldemort had finally been destroyed, Harry having won out in the end. Harry fell to his knees in shock, unable to tear his eyes from Voldemort's corpse, a few yards from him. Ginny broke through the crowd, doing as Hermione had when she reached her significant other. Everyone was hugging and cheering, couples kissing, people congratulating each other. Somewhere in the crowd, Blaise and Luna had joined the festivities, as well. Pansy and Ron were inseparable, reminding the people around them of his Lavender stage.

Moments later, several people were filing into the infirmary, as Ministry Aurors appeared to take the Death Eaters away to Azkaban. Draco didn't even spare his father a passing glance. Hermione simply held onto him, still unbelieving of the fact that it was all truly over. She watched as people continued to celebrate, despite some injuries here and there. She saw as one of the Ministry Aurors congratulated Neville for helping to bring down Bellatrix. Hermione didn't think it could have ended more perfectly. She and Draco made their way to the infirmary, the latter having insisted that Hermione needed medical attention. He was right. Madame Pomfrey reprimanded the young Gryffindor for having left in her condition.

"Honestly, Miss Granger! You of all people should have known better! No one in their right mind would have left the infirmary after suffering such a severe Cruciatus." The older witch continued to mumble to herself, about how Hogwarts would finally be safe. No more Dementors, dragons, or anything dangerous. Draco had to keep from smiling. It was no secret how vastly she disapproved of all the happenings in the past six years at Hogwarts. When she finally stopped fussing over Hermione, she went on to her next patient. Silence seemed to engulf Hermione and Draco. He knew she still wanted an explanation about the Mark, and he hoped it would not change her opinion of him.

She looked at him with the question blazing in her eyes. The accusation: _You lied. Why?_ He was having difficulty maintaining eye contact with her. He looked down to his hands, holding one of hers.

"Hermoine…I…I never meant to lie…I thought you would never stop hating me…if you knew I had the Mark. I'm sorry." She pulled her hand out of his at his words, and Draco felt his heart sinking in that moment. Was she rejecting him? _I deserve it, after all. Six years of torment, being a Death Eater…I don't deserve her._ He finally managed to look up at her. She was wringing her hands in front of her, biting her lip nervously. She seemed to be debating something. "I don't blame you for being angry…you have every right to hate me."

Hermione took in every word he said. _Do I hate him?_ No, but she wasn't sure what the powerful emotion she felt for him was. She had told him she loved him, but had it only been in the heat of the moment? A product of the fear of losing him? Was it only because she was worried for her boyfriend? She knew she cared about him deeply, but was it love? And then there was the question of his feelings for her. He fought off his father for her, was willing to put himself in danger to save her. She couldn't be sure, but she felt she remembered him uttering the words to her, as if in a faraway dream. She had dreamt the words once, while he was in his coma, but the strange feeling in her chest wasn't indicating that dream. It was something else, as if he really had said them to her in person.

Draco watched as she thought, his heart beating wildly. He knew he loved her, and he itched to say it aloud, to be sure she could hear him. Every time he'd said it, up until his fight with his father, had been covered by cowardice, fear of rejection. He had made sure she couldn't hear him, and the one time he didn't try to hide it, he wasn't sure if she'd been conscious to hear anything at all. He watched her bring her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She looked at him again, and he felt the pressure in his chest increase. Was she going to cast him away?

"Draco…I don't hate you. How could you even think that?" He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Hermione noticed this, and a small smile graced her lips, lips that Draco very much wanted to reclaim. "I do want to know about the Mark, though…how did you hide it?" Draco was more than eager to explain.

"Dumbledore developed a counter curse and gave it to McGonagall so she could help Snape and me into hiding. It cloaked the Mark, so Voldemort wouldn't find us, but if we came near him it would start to reappear. That's why it was acting up near the Horcrux and just now, when he died." She took every bit of the information in, processing it with her usual calculating mind. It made sense, and it had been to help him and Snape hide. She wasn't angry that he'd lied to her, or at least not as angry as she had thought herself to be. He'd lied so she wouldn't hate him, she supposed she could understand that. The look of pain on his face when she had pulled her hand away had not escaped her, either. Not to mention her own pain, her need for him to hold her.

Without warning, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. Draco was caught off guard, but quickly responded, wrapping his arms around her protectively. He took this as his chance to finally have her hear him.

"I love you Hermione…" His lips brushed her ear as he said it, sending butterflies straight to her stomach. Her heartbeat increased, and in that moment she realized she felt the same way.

"I love you too, Draco." It seemed like an eternity to him before she returned the words. For a moment, he thought he would never hear them again. He tightened his embrace, not caring who watched. He pulled back slightly and, cupping her face with one hand, brought her lips to his. Emotion erupted between the both of them, the sudden realization that they had almost lost each other almost too much. His arms around her tightened, making her gasp as he deepened the kiss. In that moment, they were the only ones that existed. It was the perfect moment, Hermione relishing the feel of him holding her. But, as all perfection, it had to end at some point. When they pulled away, they realized they had an audience.

"Well…um…I'm really happy for you guys." Ron stood there awkwardly, hand in hand with Pansy. Neither one of them had sustained heavy injuries.

"Thanks." Hermione beamed at the both of them, happy that Ron had finally accepted the situation.

"Um…can I talk to you for a minute Malfoy?" The venom that Draco had become accustomed to hearing was no longer there, so he stood and followed the redhead, noticing that Pansy had stayed behind with Hermione.

"Hey Pansy."

"Hey yourself, Hermione." The two girls sat in a comfortable silence, the first to break it being Pansy. "You know, Granger, if you hurt him, you're as good as six feet under." Hermione knew the threat was real, despite the genuine smile that came with it. She smiled back.

"Of course. The same goes for you, Parkinson, don't forget that."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Both girls smiled at each other again, as if they had not just declared death threats. The conversation turned to easier topics, then, as if the two of them had always been friends.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Draco looked curiously at Ron, knowing that the redhead wasn't one for emotional talks or anything of the sort.

"Well, first I wanted to thank you Malfoy, for saving me. I know you probably did it more for Hermione's sake than mine, but thanks." Draco smirked. The Weasley wasn't as stupid as people thought he was.

"Don't mention it, and don't get used to it, either. I won't always be around to save your ass. You should pay more attention." His smirk had turned into a grin by the end of his mini-speech. Ron was grinning back.

"You won't have to…Oh, and another thing: hurt Hermione, and I'll have to kill you. Just because you're in her good graces doesn't mean you'll always stay in mine."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Weasley. Of course, I have to give you the same warning for Pansy. After all, she's like a sister…an annoying, aggravating, younger sister, but a sister nonetheless." Ron nodded. Both men grinned easily at each other, astonished at how simple it was to be civil. Of course, civility didn't include the death threats, but other than that they were fine. They returned to their respective significant others in time for Madame Pomfrey to shoo them all out of the Infirmary, needing much more room for the more severely injured fighters.

The four of them went in search of Harry and Ginny, finding them in the Astronomy tower. The scene shocked Ron and Draco, but Pansy and Hermione were ecstatic. When they opened the door to the tower, Harry was down on one knee, Ginny in happy tears at his proposal. Ron nearly fainted. Everyone stayed quiet until the young Weasley responded with a happy "YES!" Harry stood and his now fiancé nearly knocked him over with a hug. They waited until Ginny let him go to offer congratulations. Pansy and Hermione squealing in glee with Ginny, something Hermione never thought she'd be doing. Harry was receiving pats on the back from Draco and Ron.

The group left the tower, plans for the wedding already running through the three girls' heads.

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_Well there you have it! Sorry for how short it was. The Epilogue will probably be around the same length, and will be up within two or three day's time. Thank you again soooo much for reading & reviewing!!_

_Please review!!! Just cuz we're close to the end doesn't mean you should stop!! hehe, again, I love you all. :)_


	24. Epilogue

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Well, here's the epilogue. I want to thank everyone who's reviewed and been with me since I started. This was the first time I ever actually attempted such a long story and been so successful. I love my reviewers and again, want to thank you all!

_Disclaimer: you know, the usual...don't own it and all that._

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Epilogue

The excitement in the air was tangible. Hermione had to seek some kind of refuge to keep from being smothered in it. The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, Harry Potter, was about to get married to none other than the spitfire that was Ginny Weasley. She was indescribably happy for two of her best friends, but she needed air to breathe. All of the wizarding world was holding their breath for this moment, and it seemed to be even more anticipated than the fall of the Dark Lord. Reporters were everywhere, and, as one of the Golden Trio, Hermione was just as hounded as Harry.

When she had arrived at the Burrow, she hadn't expected all the reporters. They were swarming the lawn, special spells having been placed on the house and the backyard to keep them from the wedding itself. She groaned and nearly turned back at the sight of them. Hermione would have to force herself through the throng just to reach the front door. As soon as the caught sight of her, the mob didn't make the job of getting through any easier. They nearly overtook her, and she squeezed her companion's hand at the sudden onslaught of people. It seemed the reporters only had eyes for her, however, and it took them a while to realize she was with Draco. He had to get their attention.

"Excuse me, but we have a wedding to get to." He didn't even raise his voice. Every reporter looked at him, shocked. Yes, their relationship was public, but it seemed to the public as more of a rumor, since Draco didn't really like the spot light, and didn't fancy flaunting himself to the world. They stared at the couple, too dumbstruck to come up with questions, and simply let him cut a path for them. They made it to the door unscathed and walked into the house. Molly Weasley was immediately upon them.

"Oh you're here! I do apologize for the throng out there. Bloody reporters always know everything! Come Hermione, the girls are all upstairs, helping Ginny get ready. Draco dear, the boys are out back, you should join them." Molly Weasley had been among the first to warm up to Draco once all the dust had blown over from the battle. The rest of the Weasley followed suit, and they became a kind of extended family to him, as they were for Hermione. It had surprised Draco at first, how accepting they were, knowing all the horrible things his family had done to the supposed 'blood-traitors.' He had apologized nearly a thousand times over, but Molly Weasley would have none of it, her maternal instinct kicking in when she saw the sincerity in his eyes before he uttered his apology, not to mention that he had taken a hit for Ron. Some of the other Weasleys gave him a hard time, of course, but Draco had not expected any less.

They parted with a chaste kiss, and Hermione could feel the excitement bubbling from Molly. Her only daughter was about to be married, to someone as wonderful as Harry, no less. Hermione sought her refuge upstairs, but soon realized it was more like going into the thick of it. All the bubbling excitement everywhere else seemed to culminate in Ginny's room, where all the girls were preparing the bride. She walked in and saw her friend standing before a mirror, Pansy and Luna fussing around her.

"Hermione! You made it!" She grinned ear to ear, fighting the urge to run up to the only sister figure she'd ever had.

"Of course Gin, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I am the maid of honor after all." They smiled at each other, but the sister moment was interrupted.

"All right then, Miss Maid of Honor, how about you make yourself useful? We still need to finish her make-up!" The two girls rolled their eyes at Pansy, another Slytherin who had been accepted into the Weasley clan, about to become a Weasley herself in a few month's time. While Luna worked on making last minute adjustments to the dress and Pansy worked on her hair, Hermione stood between Ginny and the mirror, working make-up. The girls worked in amicable silence, yet the anticipation was still thick in the air. Ginny worked hard not to hyperventilate. Within a few minutes they were done, all three proud of their work.

The three girls also had to get dressed quickly, putting on their matching gowns. Ginny had chosen light blue strapless dresses for her bridesmaids. They were relatively simple dresses, with a subtle sparkling design on the bodice. All three girls left their hair down, putting some work into making sure Hermione's was tamed. Their make up was also done subtly, not wanting to upstage Ginny's.

Luna, Pansy, and Hermione stood back to get a good look at Ginny, giving her a chance to appraise herself in the mirror. She was beautiful. The make-up had been done more to Hermione's tastes, so it was subtle, bringing out her best features. Pansy had pulled some of her hair up into a small bun, the rest of it cascading down her back. Two strands framed her face, the red a stark contrast to how pale she was, along with the white of her dress. Luna had tailored the strapless dress to be snug in all the right places, making sure to work with Ginny's curves. It flowed from her waist, a small train dragging behind her. She charmed it to keep it from becoming uncomfortable and to prevent any unexpected wardrobe malfunctions.

"Guys…it's incredible…" Hermione could see the tears welling behind the redhead's eyes, feeling her own tears prickle as well.

"Ginny, you look beautiful." Luna's dreamy voice seemed to echo in the silence.

"Yeah, you clean up nice Weasley." They all smiled at Pansy's comment. "You really do look gorgeous. Potter's gonna have a hard time concentrating on the wedding."

"She's right Gin, you think Harry will be able to wait til the honey moon?" They all laughed at that, trying to dispel Ginny's obvious nerves. A knock at the door alerted them to Molly, who wanted a look at her daughter before the ceremony. The proud mother walked in, behind her an entire trail of redheads. Not wanting to intrude on the family moment, the three girls walked out. Pansy decided to wait outside the door for Ron, while Luna and Hermione went in search of their respective men.

The girls found them talking to Harry in another room. What they overheard made them smile.

"Come on Potter! You fought the darkest wizard of all time, fought against a Hungarian Horntail, had SNAPE as a potions professor…you can't seriously be this nervous about getting married." Draco was smirking at Harry, who was wringing his hands nervously. Hermione and Luna walked in, laughing.

"Harry, everything will be great! There's no need to be nervous. Think of it this way, you already know you love each other, marriage is just one step further." She smiled at her surrogate brother and hugged him. "Trust me, you'll be fine." She pulled back. "If it makes you feel better, Ginny's nervous too." Harry smiled at that. He sighed, nodding towards Hermione.

"Well gentlemen, I suggest we start heading to the ceremony. Wouldn't want to be late to your own wedding, would you Potter?" Blaise grabbed Harry by the arm, Luna grabbing Harry's other arm and the two of them, ignoring Harry's nervous and small protests, dragged him up to the altar that was set up in the backyard, leaving Hermione and Draco alone.

As soon as he had seen Hermione walk in earlier, he'd completely forgotten what he'd been talking about to Harry. Sure, she and Luna were dressed the same, but Draco only had eyes for Hermione. As soon as the others were gone, he immediately closed the distance between them, snaking an arm around her waist, placing his mouth by her ear.

"You look stunning, Hermione." He placed a kiss on her jaw, making her take a shaky breath. He smirked at the effect he knew he had on her. She managed to compose herself enough to respond.

"You don't look so bad yourself." He chuckled, a sound Hermione had grown to love. He smiled at her, and the look in his eyes was nearly suffocating. There was so much emotion in them, it stunned her every time he looked at her. She didn't think she would ever get used to the way he looked at her. After the battle at Hogwarts, they'd become practically inseparable. She'd moved into the manor with him, unwilling to go home to the empty Granger residence. Neither one of them wanted to be alone at all, so they decided the Manor would be best. They woke up beside each other every day, and yet Hermione could never get used to how he saw her.

The dread of losing her was ever present inside Draco, but not as disturbingly as before. He was no longer afraid that she would be taken from him, but more that she would see something she didn't like and leave. He treated every moment as if it were their last together, and this did not escape Hermione even for a moment. Especially now, at the wedding, Hermione could see that indescribable feeling in his eyes. She never felt the need to talk to him about it before, but now, more than ever, she saw his insecurity. She would have to bring it up soon, before something happened. Hermione was just as afraid of losing him, for the same reason as him. She knew his prejudice had run deep, knew that he had changed as well, but what if that irrational hate resurfaced somehow? What if, in an argument, he realized he didn't really love her? These thoughts terrified Hermione. Despite her doubts, she kept smiling, and he smiled back.

"We should get going. The wedding will start soon." Regardless of her words, Draco kissed her, carefully taking her chin with one finger, knowing he couldn't risk more. She smiled against his lips. "Really, we should go." Despite how light the kiss was, she sounded breathless.

"Of course." He smirked at her, winking, trying to dispel his own fears through the way she blushed. Without anymore hesitation, they left the room and took their places. Hermione's eyes left Draco only when she saw Ginny begin to walk towards them. She looked to Harry, to see the expression of love etched in his eyes, an expression she'd come accustomed to seeing between her two friends. What struck her was that she'd seen the look somewhere else as well, very recently. Draco's eyes had reflected that same look just moments before. It had been clouded by something else, but it had been there, she knew it.

It was the perfect backyard wedding. Molly's gardens were as beautiful as ever, the sun shining above them, casting an incredible halo around the bride.

The ceremony continued without a hitch, Harry and Ginny exchanging vows, provoking tears from many of the females present, Molly in particular. Before they knew it, it was time for the reception. Harry and Ginny were having their first dance as a married coupled, Molly and Arthur joining them on the floor. They started a trend, and all the couples, including Draco and Hermione, went onto the floor.

It was a slow song, one that Hermione didn't recognize. Draco, on the other hand, hummed along to it. Leaning her head on his shoulder, Hermione closed her eyes and listened. His breathing was steady, like hers, but his heartbeat was erratic. He was nervous. Why?

"Draco?" His humming stopped, and he waited a moment before responding. She could hear his heart speed up.

"Hmm?" He held her closer, taking a deep breath, taking in the feel of her in his arms. She found herself at a loss for words, unable to say what she wanted. She pulled back a bit, and found herself in his gaze again. Something in his eyes triggered what she wanted to say. With worry present in her own eyes, she spoke.

"Your eyes…why are you afraid?" He was taken aback by her question, by the mentioning of his eyes. Draco understood what she meant, though. _She really is clever, isn't she? Of course she would notice._ He smiled at her, but the smile was a sad one, and didn't reach his eyes. He kissed her forehead and placed her against his chest again.

"Losing you…I thought you knew that." She heard his heart skip, mimicking her own.

"But the war's over…"

"But there are other dangers…" She heard the tone in his voice, how it trailed off.

"Like what? No one could take me from you…"

"I keep waiting to wake up and realize that every moment spent with you was a dream. I'll wake up, and be back in sixth year…with my impossible task in front of me." He paused, unsure of how to word what he was really afraid of. Hermione didn't realize she was holding her breath. "Or that you'll realize you still hate me." She felt her heart break at the thought. _I could never hate you._

"No Draco. I'd never hate you." She chuckled, realizing that her fears were similar. He looked at her, confused.

"I don't see the humor, Hermione."

"It's just…I can't see how _you _would want _me_. It terrifies me that maybe one day you'll realize I'm below you…a Mud-"

"No!" He nearly forgot they were in the middle of a dance floor, remembered at the last second, and his rebuttal came as a harsh whisper. "Never, and I mean _never_ refer to yourself like that. You're purer than any of the bigots that thought they were." The ferocity with which he said this, despite that it was whispered in her ear, was evident and sent a jolt of electricity through her. Her breath caught, eyes widening. He pulled back again, examining her eyes. A moment later, their lips met, and Hermione found herself forgetting where they were. Reluctance riddled the kiss, from both sides. Unsure of how long they'd been like that, they pulled away. Draco kissed her forehead.

She sighed, finally resting her head against his chest again. He wrapped both his arms around her, still swaying with the music. Draco continued to hum as if he had never stopped. Hermione slid her hand along his chest, tracing the scar she knew hid beneath his clothes, physical evidence that he risked his life to keep her. "I love you Draco." Her conviction was set, he could feel it, and allowed himself to respond without hesitation.

"I love you too. I always will." He tightened his embrace, and Hermione knew he was there to stay. He would never abandon her, nor would she abandon him.

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_Well, that's it! I thought about ending it with Draco and Hermione's marriage, but I wanted to try something different from the ones I've read. Again, I love you all for reviewing!! You guys really are the ones that kept me going!! It will be a while before you hear from me again, since I've been thinking about a new story, this one a bit more A/U...alright, ALOT more A/U, but I don't really know if I want to write it yet. In the meantime, please feel free to peruse my other fics! Yes, it's shameless advertising, but I'd appreciate the reviews! In particular, please check out **Memoirs of a Death Eater**._

_How's about one more review? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the over all story...you know you want to...one last review? please???_


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